


Redemption

by meyari



Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Smallville
Genre: Alternate Reality, Angst, M/M, Threesome, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-02
Updated: 2009-12-02
Packaged: 2017-10-04 02:40:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 35,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meyari/pseuds/meyari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clark and Lex are kidnapped, tortured and nearly killed.  Once they escape, the adventure really begins.  Can they find what they lost while they were trapped?  Will it be enough for them to be able to go on?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Redemption

Clark could hear voices. He thought he knew at least one of them, but the pain was too much. His whole body was a mass of pain. It was worst in his back where his skin crawled and cramped, trying to escape the lumps of agony lodged under his flesh. Rough hands grabbed him, hauling him upright. Cold metal clamped around his wrists as the voice he thought he knew screamed. As his arms were drawn up over his head until he couldn't touch the floor, Clark realized it was starting again. He tried to focus, and the voices started making sense again.

"Damn it, leave him alone!" the broken voice Clark thought he knew cried. "Stop it!"

"Tell me what I want to know," the calm, controlled voice that frightened Clark said, "and this will all be over, Lex. It's very simple. Talk or this happens."

Pain arced through Clark, making him scream and loose the ability to understand what was being said. There was pain. Then it stopped. Then pain again. Then it stopped. Then pain. Over and over and over and over and over. All the while the voice he should know was screaming, and the frightening voice was asking questions. Eventually the pain stopped. Clark was released to collapse to the floor again.

It was cool and faintly wet, which felt good to his fevered cheeks. But the coolness couldn't make the pain in his back go away. It couldn't help him deal with the pain in his arms, stomach and legs where they'd hurt him. It couldn't help him deal with the sobs he heard from the voice that he should know. When hands grabbed him and tried to move him, Clark whimpered and curled into a ball. He just wanted it all to go away. He tried to remember how long it had been since it started, but he couldn't. He knew it had been a while; at least days, maybe much longer than that. They wouldn't leave Clark alone. They wouldn't stop. Rolling onto his back at the urging of the hands made the shards of agony spike deeper into his back. Clark passed out, wishing dimly that he'd never wake up again.

+++++

"God damn them to hell," Lex whispered, his voice horse and broken from screaming. "Damn them, damn them, damn them!"

He struggled to roll Clark over, to check and see if he was OK. The boy was a mass of bruises, cuts, and electrical burns. Lex wasn't doing much better. Damn his father for getting them into this mess! Damn his men for not listening when Lex said he didn't have the answers they wanted. And damn Lex for getting poor, innocent Clark caught up in it all.

"Clark?" Lex flinched as Clark went totally limp. "Damn it, Clark. Don't die on me! Please don't die!"

He was barely breathing. His wounds weren't closing up. Lex knew Clark normally healed incredibly quickly, no matter what his family, or he said about it. He knew Clark was incredibly strong, but his strength seemed to have left him. The only thing that made sense was the meteor rocks Morgan had implanted in his back were hurting Clark, keeping him from healing, and getting them out of there.

"This would all be over if you'd just answer my questions, Lex," Morgan Edge said, appearing around the corner to stare down at Lex with a predatory smile.

"Damn it, Morgan!" Lex shouted, "I don't know where the damned thing is! How many times do I have to tell you? It was stolen. I have no idea who took it!"

"I wish I could believe that, Lex," Morgan said almost gently. "I truly do. But we know you have the octagonal disk. Give it back, and this will all be over."

Lex roared, leaping at the bars between him and Morgan. Morgan smirked, and the guards hidden around the corner took Lex again. They added rape of both Clark and Lex to the beatings, having given them enough time to recover from the last round of rape, or at least to partially recover. He wasn't sure Clark would ever recover fully his sanity after all of this. Lex fought as hard as he could, but there were too many. He couldn't protect Clark, couldn't protect himself. He screamed until his voice gave out. Clark lay limp as they assaulted him; eyes barely open a slit. It didn't matter to Morgan, or to his men. They were doing it to get to Lex, not to get a response from Clark. It worked, making Lex fight twice as hard. By the time that session was over, Lex had added broken ribs, a broken shoulder, and a sprained ankle to his injuries. At least he bore the brunt of it this time, not Clark.

"I'll get us out of here," Lex whispered to Clark once they were left alone again. "I swear, I'll get us out of here."

Clark whimpered, and rolled on his side, back facing Lex. They'd turned out the lights for the first time in days. In the dark that had fallen, Lex could see that Clark's back was literally glowing. Green light was coming from him, filling him. It was worst around the biggest un-healing cut in the center of his back. His body wasn't healing the cuts, which looked like they were wet, but they never bled after the initial incision. Morgan's men had stitched the cuts shut, holding the meteor rock inside of Clark's flesh. Lex rested his hand on the biggest one, and shuddered. Clark's flesh was literally crawling, quivering as it tried to expel the meteor rock.

Lex braced himself, and used his left hand—they'd broken his right shoulder—to tear the stitches out. He was shaking so hard that it was hard to coordinate his fingers with what his eyes saw. They were both in such bad shape. They had to get out of here before the trauma killed them. Clark whimpered at Lex's frantic scratches, the sound so much like a lost little boy, or a hurt puppy that it tore at Lex's heart. It seemed to take forever for Lex to rip the stitches out, but finally they were gone. Lex's breath caught as he fished the half-dollar sized chunk out of Clark's back. It glowed obscenely, lighting Clark's body with a hellish green glow.

"Gah!" Lex grunted, throwing it as far away into the corner as he could. "Clark. Clark!"

"Nnngh…" Clark whimpered, barely stirring. "Hurts…"

"I know," Lex whispered. "We have to get out of here, Clark. Stay still. Let me get the other chunks."

There were five smaller chunks left, two chunks on his back above each hip, one on each shoulder blade, and one at the base of his neck. Lex got the two on his hips out before he heard the guards coming again. Lex froze, terror overwhelming him. Not again, not so soon! Damn it, they couldn't be coming back to hurt Clark again so soon!

+++++

Clark stirred as the door on their cell opened. He still hurt—incredibly badly—but he could think, and hear now that the pain had faded somewhat. Lex was whimpering, clutching Clark's arm, and there were a couple of guys chuckling evilly.

"Time to sing some more, nightingale," one of the men said, laughing out loud at Lex's choked protest.

Clark waited until they were in the cell, reaching down for them before he moved. He surged up, adrenaline giving him the strength that the Kryptonite had taken away. The two guys' heads made a sickening noise when Clark smashed them together. He refused to see the blood, refused, it wasn't there, no, he hadn't broken their skulls. They were unconscious, that's all. He couldn't see brains, no, absolutely not!

"Clark!" Lex gasped, struggling to his feet, and fitting himself under Clark's right arm before he could pass out. "Don't stop! We have to keep going!"

Clark whimpered as the adrenaline surge passed, and they neared the door. There was Kryptonite somewhere on that door, on the ceiling, the wall over the door, Clark didn't know, but he knew it was there. It hurt, resonated with the Kryptonite buried in his back, and neck. But Lex was whimpering something horse, and hauling at Clark, pulling him through the door, swinging it shut. Then they were stumbling together down the hallway, and Clark could think a little better as they left the Kryptonite behind.

"Your voice," Clark said, surprised at how lost-little-boy his voice came out.

"Screamed too much," Lex whispered, trying to shush Clark with an arm that didn't work while hobbling on a leg that didn't work either. "Come ON!"

"Your leg," Clark whispered, trembling at the sound of other people. His eyes were so blurry. Where was everyone? He could hear them in the distance, but his eyes could barely focus on Lex, tucked under his shoulder, propelling them to somewhere, though Clark had no idea where they were going.

"I'll be fine!"

Lex gasped, pushing Clark back, against a wall. He was trembling as he huddled next to Clark's side. Clark wrapped an arm around Lex; trying to keep him warm, keep him safe. Lex wasn't invulnerable, wasn't strong. He needed to be protected. People kept hurting him. Clark's mind wandered back home, to the threats that seemed so small compared to here, and now. His mind stayed away as his body was pulled onwards until he was pushed into a truck, a nice red pickup truck. The K-shards pressing into his back made him gasp, and come back to now.

"What?" Clark said, blinking. He realized he was in the driver's seat when he felt the steering wheel under his hands. "Lex, I can't drive."

"You have to!" Lex tried to shout, but his ruined voice wouldn't let him do it. It came out as a horse whisper.

"I can't see, Lex," Clark said patiently. "I can't see your face. I can't see the windshield. I can barely see the steering wheel."

"Oh fuck!" Lex said, sounding like he was crying. "Clark, my right shoulder's broken. This is a stick shift. I can't drive!"

"You steer," Clark said, whimpering as he settled into the seat, and it pushed the shards deeper into his body. "Tell me when to speed up, and slow down, when to shift. Is there a gate we need to open?"

"Got it already," Lex said, relief clear in his voice.

This time Clark was sure he was crying, trembling, breathy little sobs that told what was left of Clark's reason that they were in serious danger. Clark carefully started the engine, and managed to put it into first. They headed out, Lex steering with his good hand while Clark worked the controls. It took a bit to get coordinated, but eventually it seemed to work. They didn't seem to hit anything while working out the kinks though Clark's mind drifted a bit too much to be sure.

If Clark's mind had been working better it would have been terrifying. Driving when you couldn't see, taking the freeway for God's sake, he actually questioned Lex about that, but Lex yelled. They sped up to freeway speeds, Lex reading off the speeds until it was time for Clark to stop flooring the accelerator. Clark didn't have any sense of time anymore. It got light. They drove. They got off the freeway, and drove more. They made it somewhere with clouds that made it dark outside their truck. There were big buildings that looked old, and gray, and dangerous. Lex had him turn, go on straight, turn, go on. Lex was cursing under his breath, his voice getting weaker by the moment. It wasn't until the truck spluttered, and coasted to a stop that Clark realized that they'd escaped from wherever it was they'd been.

"Damn it," Lex cried, leaning against Clark's shoulder. "So fucking close!"

"Tell me where to go," Clark said, pulling Lex into his arms, and getting them out of the car. His eyes were clear now. He just didn't know what to do. His mind wasn't connecting things properly. The things around them didn't make sense even though he could see them just fine. "Lex, tell me where to go."

Lex moaned weakly, so very pale as he lay still in Clark's arms. He was shaking again, all grey, and pale under the blood and grime. He looked like he was having a hard time focusing on Clark's face. A tiny bit of sanity buried deep inside of Clark screamed that Lex might die if he didn't get help. He gave Lex a gentle shake, trying to get him to tell Clark where to go.

"Manor," Lex whispered, "Wayne Manor. Top of the hill, Clark. Follow the road, don't turn off."

"All right," Clark said, holding Lex close, and slowly walking up the road.

His legs didn't want to cooperate. They were weak, and wobbly, sending him this way, then that. They were as messed up as Clark's mind which drifted, only anchored by Lex pale and silent in his arms. It was a steep road, but Clark could see a manor like Lex's mansion at the top of the hill. He followed the road, wishing that Lex had stayed awake, at least enough to whisper to Clark, to tell him what to do. Once Clark got to the top, he walked to the front door, swaying and confused. Now what did he do? There was a door, but he couldn't open it without setting Lex down. Setting Lex down didn't seem like the right answer.

"Good heavens!"

Clark turned, and saw an old man looking at him from a different door. Maybe that's where he was supposed to go? He turned, went down the stairs, walking on trembling legs over to the old man.

"He said to go to Wayne Manor," Clark said, "Top of the hill. Follow the road. Don't turn off. But he won't wake up, and I…I don't know what to do now."

"Come inside, young man," the old man said, pulling gently at Clark's elbow. "Come inside, and we'll take care of you both."

Clark did, standing swaying in a kitchen that reminded him of Lex's kitchen. He wanted it to be Mom's kitchen on the farm, but any kitchen was better than no kitchen at all. Clark's knees gave out, and he fell to the floor, still holding Lex close. He couldn't drop Lex. No, he had to get Lex to Wayne Manor where they would be safe. Clark moaned, not hearing the voices that came running into the kitchen. He was thinking of kitchens, and Mom's pie, and drinking milk from the jar while Mom scolded him. He drifted into those memories, and away from reality.

+++++

"CLARK!" Lex cried, coming bolt upright in bed as the nightmare goosed him into awareness. "Oh fuck, ow!"

"Quit moving," Bruce said grimly, "Your shoulder is broken. Nearly all of your ribs are too."

"Bruce?! W-we made it?" Lex said, astonished. "Good God, I didn't think we'd make it."

Bruce sighed, his normally impassive face showing more worry than Lex had seen since Excelsior, or the times he'd saved Lex from his bouts with drugs, sex &amp; self-destruction after Excelsior. Lex clutched his friend's hand, barely able to believe that they'd made it. There had been long periods during the drive where Lex was barely conscious, trusting Clark to keep them on the road. Obviously, Clark had done better than expected getting them there. Lex couldn't remember what happened after they got to Gotham City.

"Barely made it from the look of it," Bruce snorted. He squeezed Lex's hand comfortingly. His words were rarely overtly comforting, but he always made sure Lex knew he cared.

"We need to get on the phone," Lex said, mind already plotting how to get everything back from his father. "I need to get in touch with LexCorp. Dad can't be allowed to get away with this. He was behind it all, Bruce. Him and Morgan Edge."

Lex tried to sit up again, taking it a lot more carefully this time. It hurt like hell. His shoulder was a mass of aches. His ribs made every breath stab him. And his ass was agony. They must have really hurt him down there for it to be this bad.

"You're dead, Lex," Bruce said tiredly, making him lie down again. "You're officially dead. Your father had a funeral with a corpse that looked just like you. I went, saw the corpse, said my goodbyes. I wouldn't believe it was true until I saw you. I still didn't want to believe it even then, but what else could I do? You were there. Every bit of evidence said that you were gone."

"Damn that son of a bitch to hell," Lex cursed, eyes screwed shut. "What about Clark? How is he?"

"Your friend?" Bruce said, eyes going dark and troubled. "He's not doing well, Lex. What's his name? We haven't been able to get a word out of him since he collapsed in the kitchen with you in his arms."

"Oh god," Lex said, voice trembling as he fought infuriating tears. "He's Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. His parents are Jonathan and Martha Kent. What's wrong with him?"

"Catatonic," Bruce said, sighing. "I'm sorry, Lex. I'm not sure he's still in there."

"He is," Lex insisted. He wouldn't let Clark go! He was in there. Lex knew it. "There are shards of meteor rock embedded under the flesh in his neck and back, Bruce. Those need to come out. Once they're out he'll be better."

"I took those out a full day ago, Lex," Bruce said, reaching for a box on the bedside table that Lex hadn't noticed. "They glowed until I got them away from him. His wounds have healed entirely, but he's still gone mentally."

"Fuck," Lex breathed, hitting the blankets with his good hand. "Damn Dad, damn Morgan, damn them all! I won't let them destroy Clark!"

He struggled to sit up, but Bruce held him down. Lex hurt too much to fight him, but he would not give up. He needed to see Clark!

"Damn it, Lex," Bruce snapped, "Lie still!"

"No!" Lex growled, "I won't! Not until I see Clark!"

"Then lie still until I get a wheelchair in here," Bruce grumbled, giving Lex a black look. "You're too hurt, and too weak to walk. You 'died' nearly a month ago, Lex. They've had you the whole time."

"I know that!" Lex snapped, "I'm not the one who lost his mind, Bruce. I know exactly how long they had us. I just…I have to make sure he's OK. It's my fault he got pulled into this. I have to see him."

Bruce sighed, nodding.

+++++

Clark drifted inside his mind. There was sun on his face. That felt good. His body felt so much better. No pain, that was good, too. There were things in his memory, images, and events, and words, and things that had happened. They kept trying to creep into the good things that Clark was focusing on. The sun. The warm, soft blanket that lay so comfortingly over his legs. Memories of home, Mom and Dad, Chloe, Pete, Lana…

He saw a face he knew, bald, worried, covered with bruises.

No, that's not Lex, Clark thought, conjuring up the image of Lex in his mind. He was smiling at Clark as he came into Lex's office. The Lex in his memories came around the desk, reaching out a hand that coincided almost exactly with the Lex that his eyes saw, taking Clark's shoulder, and peering up into his eyes.

"Lex?" Clark said, blinking and coming back to reality.

"Yes," Lex said, smiling at him. It wasn't a very strong smile, but there was so much joy in his eyes that Clark was able to stay with him.

"Did I get us where we needed to go?" Clark asked, hearing the lost-little-boy quality in his voice, and wondering where it came from.

The bad things in his memory that he was avoiding would probably tell him where it came from, but he wasn't going to go there, didn't want to know. He didn't want to remember what had made his mind so drifty. That would be bad, and he only wanted good things. Plus Lex. He wanted Lex to be safe. That was very important to Clark.

"You did, Clark," Lex said, tears on his cheeks. "You did great. But you need to eat. There's plenty of food. Alfred made pancakes, bacon, sausage, and hash browns for you. You need to eat, Clark."

"That would be good," Clark said, nodding, "I'm hungry. The sun feels really good."

"Then you can eat right here, Clark," Lex said, gesturing to the old man from before when Clark was trying to figure out the door.

Then there was food in front of him, and Clark's hands remembered how to get it from the plate to his mouth even though his mind was having a horrible time figuring it all out. He didn't know the old man who must be Alfred, or the glowering man with dark hair that hovered in the background.

"Is he a friend, or someone who hurts me, Lex?" Clark asked, pausing between bites to look at the dark haired man.

"That's Bruce," Lex said, "He's a very good friend. He saved my life many times before I met you. He's protecting us from the people who hurt you, Clark. Bruce is good. You can trust Bruce and Alfred."

"Oh, OK," Clark said, nodding. He went back to the food. Pretty soon it was all gone. Clark wiped his mouth the way Mom taught him, and smiled at Alfred when he took the tray. Lex was saying something to Bruce, Clark's new friend, but Clark's mind had drifted away again, thinking about Mom's cooking so he wouldn't think about the bad things crowding at the back of his mind.

+++++

"I'm surprised you got through to him," Bruce said, a little awed.

Lex and Clark were both a mess. Lex was more ragged with fear than Bruce had seen since his little brother Julian died. Clark was so far gone into his insanity that Bruce wasn't sure that he'd ever come back.

"I've been able to bring him back the whole time," Lex said, sighing when he saw that Clark had drifted away again. "He's only 15, Bruce. He didn't deserve to be dragged into this mess. He saved my life, helped me so many times, and what do I do? I get him tortured, raped, and drive him crazy."

"Stop," Bruce said, taking Lex's good shoulder, and giving him a gentle shake. "You aren't to blame for this, Lex. Your father and Morgan Edge are to blame. Now I want you to go back to bed, and get some food to eat. You're both malnourished. You can't help Clark if you're not healthy."

Lex nodded, his eyes locked on Clark as Bruce wheeled him out of the room, and down the hallway to Lex's room. Lex sagged once he couldn't see Clark anymore, as if Clark was his only reason for living. Bruce frowned. Lex always had been needy, a person who had to have someone to care about, or his mind went out of control. He just hoped that Clark was enough to stabilize Lex during their recovery. He truly hoped that Clark would stay around for Lex afterwards. Bruce hated nursing Lex through the emotional aftermath of being dumped.

"What about the truck?" Lex gasped as Bruce got him into bed again. "They can track the truck to here!"

"Not anymore they can't," Bruce said, smirking at Lex. "It's been towed away and crushed. There's no way to track you there."

"But we left a trail getting here," Lex protested, too wound up to relax.

Alfred brought in a tray of food, waiting patiently as Bruce got Lex propped up on pillows. Lex worried at his lip, fidgeted with the silverware, and barely noticed the food until Bruce glowered at him.

"Eat," Bruce insisted. "I'm on it. You're not dealing with an amateur here, Lex. Your father is powerful, but I have resources that he doesn't. I want you to eat all of that."

"Resources," Lex snorted, "You're a rich playboy, Bruce. I don't care what you saw, or what you did while on your walkabout, you're a rich playboy now. It's not like you're the Batman."

Bruce smiled as Alfred chuckled. Lex froze with a bite halfway to his mouth, eyes going wide. For the first time since Lex woke up, Bruce could see the wheels turning behind his eyes. He waited while Lex added up the odd things he'd commented on in their rare interactions since his return, added in Bruce's normal patterns of behavior, his smug attitude, and came up with a result that made Lex gasp. Bruce smirked at him, patting his good ankle. Lex's bite of food fell back to the plate, completely unnoticed.

"No way," Lex said, starting to grin. "You're not."

"Eat your food, Lex," Bruce said, standing. "I have things to take care of."

"He's not the Batman!" Lex said to Alfred who chuckled. "No? Really?"

Bruce left Lex to Alfred's tender care. There was no one in the world that would be better able to take care of Lex right now. Alfred could boss Bruce around, and Lex definitely always needed someone to boss him around, especially when he was hurt or ill. Fighting back gave him the strength to go on. Letting Lex know was a calculated risk, of course, but Lex was his friend. He wouldn't betray Bruce any more than Bruce would betray him and Clark. Besides, it would challenge his mind, pushing him to think, not just react.

Bruce checked on Clark, finding that the boy had retreated into his mind again. He was humming something quietly, sitting like a giant doll in the sunshine. He was stunning, Bruce thought. His skin had been restored to a golden glow once the meteor rock was gone. His green eyes, while vacant, were gorgeous. His lips…Bruce pulled back, making himself drop that line of thought. Clark Kent was 15 years old. Bruce knew better than to go there, especially with someone that Lex was clearly in love with.

"Let's see if I can find your family," Bruce said quietly, heading back out of the room.

+++++

It took about two and a half hours to drive from Gotham to Metropolis. It took about two and half hours to drive from Gotham to Smallville. Gotham to Smallville was a much quieter drive, full of fields, farms, and long empty stretches of narrow road. Bruce was careful before he left to take on a different identity. He had a different car, a disguised face, different ID, and all the background to be someone else entirely.

Smallville seemed like a nice enough little town. Bruce took his time locating the Kent farm. He was officially scouting for a good 'retreat' for his employer, a Mr. Gabriel Brown who was well established as a rich eccentric in Gotham. In his guise as Mr. Marlow, Mr. Brown's servant / butler, Bruce checked with the realtors in town, looked at brochures, and home listings. He was quite firm that his employer wanted to find a farm, preferably one with a fair amount of acreage. That narrowed it down to two farms. The first was an old abandoned one that Bruce rejected out of hand. The second was the Kent Farm.

"I can drive you out if you'd like," the realtor said, looking a bit harried as several calls came in at once.

"No, that's quite all right," Bruce said, inwardly relieved that the realtor would be held up, "I have a car. I can find it on my own. Thank you for your assistance."

"You're quite welcome, Mr. Marlow," she said, shaking his hand, and diving for the phones.

Bruce drove out. It was actually a very good place for the stated purpose of his trip. Far from town, very well run. It was fairly easily defensible if necessary, though the house had too many windows, and the door was glass, not solid wood, or steel. It was a bright, cheerful yellow, which made Bruce cringe slightly. Martha and Jonathan Kent were slowly loading their belongings into a van, moving out of their family home prior to the farm being sold at auction.

"Can we help you?" Jonathan said suspiciously as Bruce got out of his car.

"I think so," Bruce said, giving them his card as Marlow. "My employer is looking to buy a farm in the country as a retreat. I think your farm would be quite suitable. Would you have time to show me around?"

"A retreat," Jonathan grumbled, face going bitter and dark. "My farm, a rich man's retreat."

"Jonathan," Martha said, putting a gentle hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, it's hard for us right now. We…we just lost our son, and now we're loosing the farm, too."

"I'm so sorry," Bruce said, doing his best to be quietly sympathetic. "What happened?"

Bruce's card crumpled in Jonathan's hand.

"Lex Luthor, that's what happened," Jonathan growled, looking away. "He came into our lives, and our son died for it."

"They were—were in an accident together," Martha said, lips quivering as she fought tears. "There wasn't much left. I'm sorry, it's hard to talk about."

"I understand," Bruce said, grateful for the pictures of Clark and Lex he had in his briefcase. "Perhaps you could show me around quickly so I could leave you alone?"

"Of course," Jonathan said, nodding and swallowing his pride.

They led him into the old farmhouse. It was warm, charming, and as opposite to everything Bruce had grown up with as possible. He loved it on first sight. This was a house his parents would have adored, had they been someone else besides Waynes. He could see Lex pining to be a part of this house, and family. Bruce let them talk, checking a little monitor he'd stashed in his pocket. It blinked, telling him that the house was bugged. Martha saw it, frowning at him. Bruce shook his head no, laying a quieting finger over his lips. They went out to the barn, and this time there were no bugs.

"Who are you?" Jonathan demanded, glaring at the device.

"These pictures were taken the day before yesterday," Bruce said, pulling the pictures of Lex and Clark out of his briefcase. "Clark has since made a full physical recovery. Lex is still in very bad condition."

They both gasped, Martha going white. Jonathan clutched her. The pictures showed Lex and Clark at their worst, battered, bruised, cut, burned, filthy, and collapsed on the kitchen floor. Bruce had to take the pictures from Martha because her hands were shaking so badly that she couldn't hold them.

"They're safe now," Bruce assured them, "But Clark is in very bad shape."

"You said he healed?" Jonathan said, confused.

"Yes, physically," Bruce said, sighing. "But his mind is gone. He's retreated inside so deeply that only Lex can bring him out. I think he's hiding from what happened to him."

"Do you know what happened?" Martha asked, clinging to her husband.

Bruce sighed.

"I haven't discovered everything yet," Bruce said, "as Lex isn't fully coherent yet. He's in a constant state of panic. His only concern is keeping Clark safe. From what I've been able to learn, Lionel Luthor believes that Lex stole something valuable from him. It was important enough that he kidnapped Lex and Clark, torturing them to find out what happened to it. I believe Clark was included solely as leverage initially. However, once they understood how different he was, they were studying him as well. They implanted chunks of meteor rock in his back to keep him from using his powers to save himself and Lex. Lex managed to remove several chunks of meteor rock that had been implanted the day before yesterday, which gave Clark enough strength to help them escape. They drove to Gotham, and came to me."

"Good god," Jonathan said, jaw working.

He nuzzled Martha's hair as she cried into his shirt. Neither of them seemed able to take in everything he'd said. He wasn't surprised. It was too much after everything that had happened to them.

"I will be buying the farm," Bruce said firmly, moving things along. "As part of the purchase, you will be required to meet with my 'employer', a Mr. Brown who is known as a rich eccentric in Gotham. The house will be fully remodeled as will the barn, turning it into a retreat for 'Mr. Brown'. That should remove all of the hidden listening devices that have been secreted in the house. While you're in Gotham, I will arrange for you to visit Wayne Manor, where Clark and Lex are hidden. If you wish, I can arrange to have new jobs set up for you both in Gotham."

"Why are you doing this?" Jonathan asked, frowning at him.

"Lex is my friend," Bruce said, shrugging slightly. "He's been my friend since we were children. He came to me for help, bringing your son with him. I am…familiar with Lionel Luthor. What he's done is wrong, and I will not allow it to continue. There is good in this world, and there is evil. I believe strongly in fighting the evil, and supporting the good."

His words, while melodramatic, appeared to reassure both Martha and Jonathan. They exchanged a look, then turned back to him.

"Before you go," Jonathan said, gripping his wife's shoulders, "You need to see the root cellar."

"All right," Bruce said, a bit startled by the odd side trip. "Please show me."

They led the way, doing a wonderful job of being tour guides, pointing out the various features of the farm. They were clearly quite experienced in keeping secrets. They assumed that they were being watched as soon as they stepped outside. He wondered if they'd assumed they were being spied on in their home, too. The root cellar was a perfectly ordinary little building as far as Bruce could see. They led him down the stairs, and suddenly everything changed.

"Is that…?" Bruce asked, staring at the thing that looked entirely too much like a spaceship.

"Yes," Jonathan said, jaw working. "We found it when we found Clark. We were trying to figure out what to do with it once we thought that Clark was gone. Obviously it was right when it said that he was still alive."

Bruce stared at them, jaw dropped open. While Lex had told him that the meteors had profound effects on people exposed to them, he had expected that Clark's extraordinary strength and healing came from the meteors. He'd thought that Clark had either been meteor affected, or he might have been born with powers, as with some of the other meta-humans that Bruce was aware of. He never would have expected this!

"We found Clark," Jonathan said to the spaceship, laying a hand on it. "He's alive, but not sane."

The spaceship purred, slowly rising off of the floor of the root cellar. Bruce backed off a step as it rotated to—he would swear it was true, though he had no idea how—stare at Bruce. It was the most intimidating thing he'd ever experienced, being 'looked' at by a device from another world.

"Kal-El must be restored," the spaceship said. "His destiny must be fulfilled, or humanity will be destroyed as Krypton was."

"How?" Martha asked, almost hiding behind Jonathan.

Light lanced from the ship to Bruce, enveloping him, and filling him with knowledge. He saw three stones, marked with symbols, and a cave very like his cave. Actually, he wasn't sure that it wasn't his cave, in a portion that he hadn't explored thoroughly. The stones joined to one another, and something new rose from a snowy landscape far from the cave. Clark was restored, strong, and bright, and as good as it was possible to be. The light faded. Bruce found himself on his knees in the dirt, panting. His head ached with the knowledge Jor-El had forced into his mind.

"Find the stones," Jor-El said. "Find the stones, and Kal-El will be restored."

"Are you all right?" Martha asked, helping him sit, and then stand.

"Fine," Bruce said, swaying until he got himself under control. "We'll have to move that at night. I'm going to head back into town to start the proceedings for buying the farm. Once this is all over, we can talk about getting you back on the farm again. For now, we need to get you somewhere safe."

"Thank you," Jonathan said, shaking Bruce's hand. "Thank you for giving us hope again, and for saving the farm."

Bruce nodded, uncomfortable with the thanks. He hadn't done anything yet, and many things could go wrong where Lionel Luther was concerned.

+++++

Lex hid behind the curtains as he waited for the Kents to arrive. He'd been hiding every since he and Clark got here. Hiding from his father. Hiding from Morgan Edge. Hiding from his memories. Hiding from Bruce and Alfred, as much as he could. They didn't let him hide from them very much. The only one he wasn't hiding from was Clark.

Two weeks, Lex thought, peering down out of the window for the millionth time, two weeks, one day, 6 hours since he woke up safe. He wondered when the safeness was going to sink in. Lex didn't think that it would sink in until Clark was back to himself. Seeing Clark smile, having a real conversation with him, god, maybe even having Clark forgive him for dragging him into the whole mess; that would do far more for Lex's state of mind than anything else.

"Master Alexander," Alfred said, "They have arrived."

"What?" Lex said, startled. He looked down and cursed. He'd been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he'd missed their car arriving. "Are they…OK?"

"They are quite excited to see Master Clark," Alfred said calmly, "and rather concerned about you, Master Alexander."

"Please call me Lex, Alfred," Lex said for the millionth time.

"Of course, Master Alexander," Alfred said, almost managing to hide his smirk at Lex's glare. "This way, please."

Lex followed Alfred, starting at shadows, and infinitely grateful for the way his body healed. His ankle was back to normal. His ribs were nearly there. His arm was still in a sling, though. It had been more badly broken than Lex thought at the time, several bones broken, not just one. Bruce was coming up the stairs with Martha and Jonathan, explaining to them that Clark was upstairs, in the sunshine. Lex froze, as unable to move as a deer caught in the headlights.

"Lex," Jonathan said, surprised.

"Oh Lex!" Martha cried, coming to his side, and carefully hugging him, respectful of his shoulder, and the sling. "I'm so sorry we got you mixed up in all of this!"

"W-what?" Lex said, startled out of his immobility. "I'm the one who got Clark mixed up in it. It's my fault, not yours!"

"There's a lot you don't know," Jonathan said grimly. "Trust me; none of us are innocent in this mess. Can we see Clark now?"

"Of course," Bruce said, leading the way to Clark's room.

The room was filled with sunlight, pouring in the windows, puddling around Clark's feet. He sat on the window seat, gazing outside with a blank expression. He didn't move as they came in. Lex sighed. It was one of his bad days, when Clark was gone more than he was there. He'd been getting better over the last two weeks, interacting with them more.

"Sorry," Lex said to Martha's tears, and Jonathan's working jaw. "He's been getting better, but he still has his bad days. Let me see if I can bring him back."

"How do you…?" Martha asked, wiping her tears away.

"I try to approach him just like always," Lex said, shrugging. He winced as the gesture hurt his shoulder. "It's seems like if I match what he remembers then he's able to come back to reality. He barely responds to Bruce and Alfred, but I can bring him back most of the time."

Lex headed over, reaching out to clasp Clark's shoulder. Clark turned, and blinked at him, eyes slowly focusing until he smiled at Lex. It wasn't the full-voltage smile that made a room light up, but it still warmed Lex's heart.

"Lex," Clark said, "Did we make it to where we needed to go?"

"Yes, Clark," Lex said, heart breaking all over again. He always asked that, always had to be reassured that they were safe here. "You did exactly right. We're safe. There's someone you need to see."

Lex turned, and looked at Martha and Jonathan, hesitating by the door. Clark looked slowly, eyes tracking a bit behind the movement of his head until he saw his parents. Then he gasped. His eyes went wide, and he stood on his own for the first time. Martha's hands flew to her mouth as she smiled at him through her tears. Jonathan was fighting tears of his own.

"Mom?" Clark asked, stepping towards them. "Dad? You're really here?"

"Clark!" Martha cried, running to him, and hugging him tight.

"Son," Jonathan said in a choked voice, striding over to hug him, too.

"You're here," Clark cried, clutching them both. "You're here! You're really here!"

Lex collapsed on the window seat, fighting tears of his own. He'd been wishing for this meeting ever since they were kidnapped. Now that it was finally here, it was so overwhelming that Lex wasn't sure he could deal with it. Bruce came to Lex's side. His hand on Lex's good shoulder was enough of an anchor to let Lex cope.

"So glad you're OK, son," Jonathan said, wiping his tears away on one plaid sleeve.

"I'm not," Clark said, completely honestly. "I'm not, Dad. There are things in my head I keep trying to hide from, but they keep finding me. I don't know how to make them go away. So I go away instead, and then they can't bother me. How long has it been since the bad things happened? Lex saved me from the bad things, but I can't keep track of time. Everything runs together, and I get lost inside my head."

"Two weeks, one day, six hours, 13 minutes since we got here, Clark," Lex said.

"Oh," Clark said, nodding but not comprehending.

"Long enough for the corn to be harvested, Clark," Jonathan said. "The barn cat had her kittens. There are three orange tabbies and one calico. Your mom made 45 pies while you were gone."

"That's a long time," Clark said, surprised. "I really am loosing track of time."

Lex laughed a little that Clark was able to track time better in those terms than with weeks, days, hours and minutes. It made sense, so much sense. Clark was the quintessential farm boy, after all. He would see time in terms of events, not clocks with minute hands ticking by the way Lex did.

"I want to go home," Clark said, turning to his parents, and burying his face in his mother's hair.

"Oh sweetie," Martha cried, "We had to sell the farm. Everyone thinks that you're dead. You can't go home."

Clark wavered, making Lex stand. Bruce held him back, not letting Lex go to Clark's side. Clark shook his head, stepping back from his parents. Martha clutched at his shirt, making a wordless protest as he drew away. Jonathan kept a grip on Clark's arm, face full of shame.

"No," Clark whimpered, "I want to go home. The bad things in my head will go away if I can go home. Please, I just want to go home."

"Clark," Jonathan said, his voice hitching with suppressed tears.

Lex pulled free from Bruce's restraining hand, going to Clark's side. He caught Clark, making him look down into Lex's eyes.

"Clark, you will go home," Lex declared. "It will take some time but you'll go home. I promise. It'll happen."

Clark looked at him, his eyes already going vague. He nodded slowly, frowning at Lex's sling.

"Did I get us where we needed to go?" Clark asked, eyes drifting from Lex to his parents, then on to Bruce. They finally rested on the window seat, and the sunlight pouring in.

"Yes, Clark," Lex said. "You got us to safety."

Clark nodded, and walked back to the window seat, sitting in the light. Lex shut his eyes. How many times could his heart be broken before it finally stopped working? He fought the tears that were constantly trying to break through since their kidnapping. He lost the battle when Bruce's hand rested on his shoulder. Martha gently pulled Lex into a hug, patting his back, crooning wordlessly to him as if he was a small child in distress. That let the damned sobs break free.

"Sorry," Lex sobbed, clinging to her, "So sorry. It's all my fault! I'm so sorry!"

"Shhh," Jonathan crooned, giving Lex the hug that he'd craved ever since he met the older man. "It's OK, Lex. It's OK."

"It's not OK!" Lex shouted, pulling away from them. "It's my fault that he's like this! If Dad hadn't taken me while Clark was visiting he'd be all right!"

Lex knew he was spiraling out of control, knew that he was heading for emotional disaster, but he couldn't stop himself. He'd never been able to, not as a child, not after the meteor shower, certainly not now. Martha was crying just as hard as Lex was. Jonathan had tears on his cheeks. He looked like he was one step from breaking down, too. As always, Bruce was the one who saved them all.

"That's enough, Lex," Bruce snapped, catching him, and keeping him from bolting, or collapsing. "I warned them that Clark would react this way. It's to be expected. He's still in shock."

Lex nodded, trying to draw deep breaths to calm down. They were shuddery things that teetered on the edge of sobs, screams, and collapse. Eventually the raging emotions calmed enough that he wasn't on the razor's edge. Bruce nodded slightly, letting Lex go.

"You need more sleep," Bruce said, pulling Lex over to a lounge chair that sat near to Clark's window seat. "Sit down, rest. I'll take care of the Kents."

"I'm fine," Lex protested.

Bruce raised an eyebrow at him, smirking slightly. Lex growled. How Bruce could say whole volumes with just a tiny gesture, Lex would never know. It was a skill that Lex had worked hard to master, but Bruce did it so naturally that he made it effortless. He made Lex look like an amateur. The enticement of sitting with Clark won out over his nervous energy, and he settled in the chair sighing. He blinked, studied Clark to make sure he was still there, still OK. Lex fell asleep on the next blink without realizing it.

+++++

"Let's let them be for a bit," Bruce said quietly, guiding the Kents out of the room.

"He's so…ragged," Jonathan observed, clearly shaken. "Clark's doing better than Lex is."

"Lex will be all right, won't he?" Martha asked, taking her husband's arm.

"I hope so," Bruce said, sighing as he shut the door to Clark's room. "Lex has always been high strung. This whole experience has amplified it."

"What now?" Jonathan asked.

Bruce led them to his office. He'd spent the last two weeks doing intensive research through several layers of intermediaries into the visions that Jor-El had given him. He was relatively certain that he knew where to find the stones that Jor-El indicated were needed to restore Clark. Getting them would be difficult, but not impossible for someone with Bruce's wealth, and connections.

"I'm convinced that if we can save Clark, it will save Lex," Bruce said, showing them his research. "Lex has tied his whole soul into saving Clark, and restoring him to sanity. If Clark gets back to normal, I'm fairly certain that it will stabilize Lex."

"So you're…finding these stones?" Jonathan asked, obviously puzzled by the information that Bruce showed him.

"How can the stones save Clark?" Martha asked, her face showing that it made more sense to her than to Jonathan.

"I'm not sure," Bruce admitted with a grimace. "But Jor-El was quite clear that they're the key to it."

"How long will it take?" Martha asked, giving him his research back.

Bruce looked at the reams of data, pondered what had to be done. There would need to be expeditions to Egypt, the Yucatan, and China. Permits would be necessary, as would massive bribes. It was going to be a big deal. If he chose not to do it openly, then it would have to be done through the black market, which was many times chancier. There was no guarantee that he'd succeed, but Bruce was determined to try.

"I don't know how long it will take," Bruce admitted with a sad sigh. "But however long it takes, I'll do it."

+++++

They had come again; leering faces and grabbing hands, come to take Lex away from Clark. Clark was already suspended by his wrists while the rocks in his back glowed, turning him sickly green. He begged for Lex to save him, blood on his face, cuts on his chest, and obscene blood on his thighs while the leering men laughed and hurt him again. Clark's wails for Lex to save him ripped Lex's soul out.

Lex struggled against the hands holding him, screaming at them to stop, leave Clark alone. It wasn't his fault! He wasn't involved! They had no right to be hurting him! He was innocent; they needed to leave him alone! Someone was shaking him while shouting at Lex. Lex gasped at a sudden slap that made his head rock back, and his ears ring.

Lex blinked, finally realizing that it was Bruce hold him, Bruce restraining him, Bruce trying to wake him up from his nightmare. Bruce in simple cotton pajamas and a dark robe. Bruce with that worried look in his eyes.

"Bruce," Lex breathed, panting.

"Better?" Bruce asked, keeping a firm grip on Lex's arms as he watched Lex's face.

"Yeah," Lex said, scrubbing his sweaty face with his hands. He didn't wear the sling at night so both arms were free. "Sorry."

"It's all right," Bruce said, not resisting as Lex laid his head on Bruce's shoulder.

Lex sighed. They'd been over for years, since college. Lionel had found out about their relationship a few months into it. He'd been irate, calling Lex the biggest fool in the history of the world. The Luthors competed with the Waynes. They did not fuck them. Lex's defiant declaration that he loved Bruce had been met with a beating that should have sent him to the hospital, but didn't due to his healing ability, his prompt removal from college, and a whole new set of restrictions on Lex's behavior. Bruce had stepped in multiple times since then to save Lex from himself as he spiraled towards self-destruction. None of it had endeared Bruce Wayne to Lionel Luthor. All of it had resulted in outright attacks on Bruce as Lionel tried to drive him away. Eventually, Lex had stopped letting Bruce save him. He couldn't bear the guilt.

"Sorry," Lex whispered, curling into Bruce's arms.

He should be stronger, should resist the pull for comfort when Bruce had given so much, and gotten so little before. He couldn't resist. He'd never been able to resist Bruce's quiet solidity. It was the opposite of Lex's frenetic energy, turning Lex's raging storm into calm waves on the beach. Clark filled a similar need in Lex, all bright, open goodness to lighten Lex's dark side, but of course it would never go anywhere there. Clark was too good, and much too young for Lex, no matter what the dark side of his soul whispered to him.

"It's all right," Bruce repeated, rubbing Lex's back calmly.

Bruce sighed, arms wrapped around Lex as if that was exactly where Lex had always belonged. Lex would never call what they did for the next half an hour cuddling. Alexander Luthor did not cuddle. Bruce Wayne most certainly did not cuddle. If someone had called it cuddling to Bruce's face, he would have gone all still and formal, his eyes like shards of ice at the mere suggestion. The thought made Lex laugh under his breath.

"What?" Bruce asked, raising an eyebrow at Lex.

"Nothing," Lex said, lips curling in a smirk that made Bruce snort ever so faintly in amusement. Bruce might not know exactly what was making Lex smirk, but he probably had a pretty good idea. Bruce was a master at reading people, especially Lex.

"I'm surprised that Alfred and the Kents didn't come running," Lex said with a tired sigh.

"I warned them about your nightmares," Bruce said, shoulder shifting slightly under Lex's head as he shrugged. "They know you're having a hard time sleeping."

"That's the understatement of the century," Lex muttered, finally starting to relax enough to just maybe drop off again.

His eyes refused to close for a long while. Bruce's breath deepened, and evened out as he fell asleep. His arms stayed firmly wrapped around Lex. Lex's eyes were just starting to droop about an hour later when a huge crash echoed through the house. The scream that followed had Lex up and out of the bed, running for Clark's room with not a single care for his own safety and survival.

"LEX!" Bruce yelled, trying to catch up.

Clark was flailing in his nightmare as fiercely as Lex did in his, but Clark's fists destroyed the bedside table when he struck it. The bed was the next casualty, collapsing when he kicked. The blankets and sheets tore like tissue paper. The stone wall crumbled under one blow, and all the while Clark screamed, Lex's name mixing with incoherent howls of fear, and pain. Lex started for Clark, only to be grabbed from behind by Bruce.

"You are not going in there!" Bruce growled, arms locked unbreakably around Lex.

"I have to help him!" Lex shouted as Alfred, Martha and Jonathan ran up. "Let me go! I have to help Clark!"

"Let him," Jonathan said, taking one look at the destruction in Clark's bedroom, and nodding approval.

"What?" Bruce snapped, shocked.

Lex squirmed, and managed to break free. Lex knew that he only made it because Bruce was so shocked, but he didn't care. Clark needed him. Lex carefully walked over, seeing that Clark's eyes were open, though he clearly was still trapped in his memories and nightmares. Lex took a quick breath, and walked straight into Clark's flailing arms. The huge fist that swung straight at Lex's head made Lex flinch. He threw up his hands, but it never impacted. Clark's barely hand connected with Lex's hands, stopping in mid-air.

"L-Lex?" Clark asked, trembling violently.

"Yeah, it's me, Clark," Lex said, shaking pretty hard himself. "It's OK. You're all right."

Lex gasped as Clark swept him into a hug, burying his face in Lex's neck. Clark was whimpering as he clung to Lex, repeating Lex's name over and over. Lex sighed with relief, holding the boy tight. It would be all right, Lex knew. Everything would be all right.

+++++

"What were you thinking?" Bruce hissed at Jonathan.

"I know my son," Jonathan said. "Clark was crying Lex's name between the screams. I may not like it, but Lex is what Clark needs right now. They need each other to be able to cope, to get well."

Bruce gave him a black look, trembling from adrenaline. The memory of Clark's fist pulverizing the stone wall, then heading straight for Lex's head was something that was going to haunt him for years. Martha patted Bruce's arm, and then tugged at Jonathan, trying to lead him back to their room.

"We can't help him right now," Martha said to Bruce's surprised look. "We've never been able to help him when he gets like this."

"He's done this before?" Bruce asked, looking from Lex locked in Clark's arms, to Martha and Jonathan in confusion.

"Not since he was a toddler," Jonathan said sadly, "right after we found him. He couldn't speak English yet, didn't know us, and didn't know anything about our world. He'd get terrified, flailing at everyone, and everything. There was one toy we gave him, a stuffed cow. He'd cling to that cow like it was his lifeline. Eventually he'd come out of it, come back to us, bright, and sunny, and as cheerful as if it never happened. We learned to trust him, wait until he came to us without pushing him to interact."

"Lex is his lifeline now," Martha said, sighing, "just as Clark is Lex's lifeline. We have to wait. He'll come back to us eventually."

Bruce sighed, rubbing his face in his hands. He had to consciously relax his shoulders. They were so tight that they felt like steel bands under his skin. He started as Jonathan patted his shoulder.

"I know it's hard," Jonathan said, "but this is what they need."

"My heart stopped when Lex walked in there," Bruce complained with a tired sigh. "I'll be all right. Go back to bed. I'll keep an eye on them, get Clark to another room."

Martha gave Bruce an unexpected hug. He smiled, and patted her back. She truly was an amazing woman, just as Jonathan was an amazing man. Once they were off, he smiled to see Alfred already hard at work preparing a new room for Clark to sleep in.

"Make it a king size bed, Alfred," Bruce said quietly. "I think it would do them some good to be able to sleep together."

"Indeed, Master Bruce," Alfred said, raising an eyebrow at the phrasing.

"You know what I mean," Bruce murmured to Alfred who chuckled.

"Indeed I do, Master Bruce," Alfred said, heading off to open up the proper room.

Bruce headed into Clark's destroyed room, willing his heart not to hurt that Lex was so wrapped up in Clark. It didn't work, of course. His heart hadn't listened to him his entire life. This was nothing new. Clark looked over Lex's shoulder as Bruce carefully approached. His eyes looking at Bruce were wary. Bruce smiled minimally, hands loose at his sides to show that he wasn't a threat to either of them.

"You all right?" Bruce asked.

"I'm fine," Lex said, voice muffled as he clung to Clark just as hard as Clark was clinging to him. "I'm fine. He'd never hurt me, Bruce. I know it."

Bruce couldn't help the wave of pain that swept over him. Lex was so in love with Clark. There was a time when Lex looked at him that way, felt that way about him, but those days were long gone. Bruce still couldn't let it go. Clark's eyes went wide at Bruce. Bruce flinched, knowing that Clark had seen it, knew what Bruce still felt for Lex. Bruce was so busy kicking himself for his lack of self-control that he completely missed Clark's hand reaching out to tug him into the hug. Bruce blinked at Clark over Lex's shoulder, lips quirking at the smile in Clark's eyes.

"Bruce?" Lex asked, pulling back just enough to look at him.

"I appear to have been invited into the hug," Bruce said, lips twitching.

"Always welcome as far as I'm concerned," Lex chuckled. "So what set off the destruction, Clark?"

Clark whimpered. He curled into Lex's lap, arms wrapped around his waist. Bruce frowned. He gently pet Clark's hair while Lex rubbed his back.

"Bad things," Clark whimpered, "bad things that happened to me that I don't want to remember."

"Clark…" Lex said, eyes tortured as he looked down at the boy clutching him.

Bruce sighed. He knew Alfred must have gone through this with him after his parents died. He'd never realized just how hard it must have been for Alfred to see him in so much pain. There was so little that he could do for Bruce, just as there was very little that Bruce could do for Clark and Lex. There was only one truth that Bruce had from that time: Embracing the pain let you go beyond it, become stronger, and conquer it.

"You have to remember," Bruce said, getting a surprised glare from Lex, and a whimper from Clark.

"Don't want to," Clark whimpered.

"You have to," Bruce repeated, "because if you don't face it, you'll never be able to protect Lex."

"You don't understand," Clark protested, looking up from Lex's lap with green eyes full of pain, and deep fear.

"My parents were murdered in front of me when I was a child, Clark," Bruce said quietly. "There were times when I would have done anything to forget. But I couldn't. The more I fought to forget, the less able to deal with life I was. It wasn't until I embraced the pain, accepted the memories, and dealt with them that I had the strength to do what I needed to do."

Clark blinked, the lost little boy quality fading somewhat as he listened to Bruce's words.

"Until you deal with the memories you're trying to hide from," Bruce said carefully, "Lex won't have anyone to protect him. He needs someone to protect him."

"I do not!" Lex protested, glaring at Bruce. "I can protect myself!"

Bruce and Clark exchanged amused looks. Bruce had been protecting Lex for years before he met Clark. Obviously, Clark knew about Lex's propensity for getting into trouble, and getting hurt.

"I don't!" Lex insisted as their amused expressions. "I need to protect Clark, not the other way around."

"Mmm-hmm," Bruce said, lips curled in the perfect smirk to make Lex growl.

Clark laughed quietly, relaxing so that he was lying like a big kitten with his head in Lex's lap. He looked up at the both of them, not 100% there, but much more present than he'd been since Bruce met him. Lex took Clark's hand where it lay on his stomach, smiling at him. Clark's eyes shut, and he smiled contentedly. Bruce truly tried not to let his heart hurt, but it didn't work. He wasn't part of this. He was their protector, not part of their blooming relationship. Bruce stood.

"Don't go," Clark said, eyes flying open. "Please? You help. You help us both. Don't go."

"Actually," Alfred said from the door, "you should all go to the other room. I've prepared a new bedroom for Master Clark, Master Bruce. We can have people come in to repair this one tomorrow."

"Thank you, Alfred," Bruce said, smiling at him.

"How many rooms are there?" Clark asked, slowly sitting up. He kept his grip on Lex's hand.

Lex stood, clearly trying not to sway. He failed, going pale. He looked like he nearly passed out, which made both Clark and Bruce frown. Bruce took his elbow so that he wouldn't collapse back to the ruined bed. Clark used his grip on Lex's hand to steady him as well. Helping Lex seemed to help Clark focus. Bruce understood the feeling. There had been many times when they were at school together when helping Lex had been all the kept Bruce from falling apart. He sometimes wondered if Lex understood how much he did for Bruce, just by being there, and needing him so badly.

"There's about twice as many here as there are in my manor," Lex said to Clark.

"Whoa, that's huge!" Clark said, eyes going wide with shock. "I get lost in your place, Lex. This must be much worse."

"Honestly, I get lost on occasion," Bruce said with a quick grin at Clark. "There are whole wings I never go in."

"Wow," Clark said, standing as Lex tugged him to his feet. "Maybe when I'm not quite so drifty I can explore."

Bruce wasn't happy with that thought. He didn't want Clark to find the caves. He didn't want Clark to get lost, either. With his strength, he could do an incredible amount of damage to the Manor if he panicked. Lex looked even less happy with the idea of Clark wandering around, but neither of them said anything. Clark didn't look like he wanted to explore. He looked like he wanted to cling to them both, and never let go.

"You're welcome to explore, Master Clark," Alfred said firmly from the door. "You can always come to the kitchen, and I shall be glad to show you around."

They headed down the hall to the new bedroom. Clark grabbed Bruce's hand, too, walking between them. Alfred walked in front of them, old and gentile in his flannel robe, and dark slippers. The bedroom that Alfred had selected was right next to Bruce's bedroom at the end of the hall. It was also right across the hall from Lex's bedroom. It made sense to have them all together, given how much time Bruce was spending taking care of the two of them.

"I remember the kitchen," Clark said thoughtfully. "It reminded me of Lex's kitchen at the manor, but older, more like home. I liked that kitchen."

"Then you're free to visit whenever you like, Master Clark," Alfred said, smiling at him warmly.

"I don't get to visit whenever I want," Lex protested as they headed into the new room.

"I don't either," Bruce said, giving Alfred a look.

"Master Clark is different," Alfred said calmly. "Good night, gentlemen. I'll bring breakfast up in the morning. The Kents will be eating with me. There's no need for you to get up early, so sleep as late as you like."

He nodded to the three of them and left, closing the door behind him. Clark smiled at the door, head cocked. Lex tugged Clark towards the bed, getting him into it, under the covers. Clark pulled Lex in next to him, holding him. He looked at Bruce, frowning slightly.

"Alfred's a nice man," Clark observed.

"Yes, he is," Bruce said, smiling.

"So are you," Clark said, smiling at Lex's tired chuckle. "But you need to sleep, too."

He pulled Bruce into the bed so that Bruce was cuddled on the opposite side of Lex, nodding approval before yawning widely. Clark snuggled close to Lex, laying his head on Lex's shoulder. Lex looked like it was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to him. He grinned at Bruce, who smiled back at him.

"I think I could deal with this," Lex whispered as Clark started snoring faintly. "I could deal with this for the rest of my life."

Bruce chuckled, and took off his robe. Well, he supposed he could endure a night in bed with Clark and Lex. It was to help them get better, after all. Lex fell asleep right after Bruce pulled the covers over the three of them. Bruce thought he'd linger for a while, but he fell asleep nearly as quickly as they did.

+++++

Wayne Manor was big.

Clark paused at the top of the stairs, waiting to hear if Lex was calling for him before going on another exploration of the huge house. Lex had fallen asleep in his chair by the window in Clark's room. Clark could hear him breathing deeply, still fast asleep. Clark nodded, heading down the stairs to the kitchen where he always began his explorations.

The first time he'd gone wandering everyone had panicked. He'd woken up after dreams of dark memories chasing him. The memories couldn't catch him when he ran in his dreams. But Bruce had said he needed the memories to be able to protect Lex. When he stopped hiding from them, they were like an avalanche over him, so he ran again. When he walked in the dream the memories could only catch him one at a time.

Clark had taken the dream literally, gotten up, and gone exploring. The memory of their capture had found him at the top of the stairs, making him stagger. By itself it wasn't so bad. The memory of Morgan Edge threatening them caught him in the kitchen, making Alfred worry, and feed Clark tea and blueberry scones. The memory of the kryptonite being implanted in his back had caught him as he wandered down the hallway back towards his room. That one had made him cry out, and collapse to his knees. Then Lex had come running, terror in his eyes, and tears on his cheeks. Mom and Dad had been right behind him, just as frightened as Lex. Bruce had been worried, but calm. He was always calm. Clark didn't always understand the snarky things Bruce said to get Lex to react, but Bruce was always calm. It was nice.

It took a long time to calm Lex down anymore, Clark thought, reaching the kitchen.

Alfred wasn't there so Clark kept going, out into the hallway beyond. The big memories had come back, the bad ones. He remembered the torture for the most part. He remembered the rapes. He remembered Lex being questioned, and hurt. He remembered being hurt while Lex screamed. He remembered Morgan Edge's voice asking questions in that strangely dangerous gentle voice. What the questions meant Clark couldn't quite figure out yet. The pieces didn't fit together, so Clark kept exploring, kept moving. There were gaps, and he knew that once he had all the pieces he'd be able to sort it all out.

Bruce nodded to Clark with a smile, and a pat on his arm when Clark passed him in the hallway. He'd gotten used to Clark wandering around in the last few weeks. Alfred greeted Clark cheerfully when Clark found him dusting the books in the library. Clark helped for a little while until he heard Lex wake up, and gasp to find Clark gone. Clark sped upstairs, coming in with a whoosh of air before Lex could stand up.

"You were gone." Lex's heart was beating too fast.

"I went to the bathroom," Clark said, sitting on the window seat next to Lex's chair. "The garden's pretty. Do you want to go out to see it?"

Lex shivered, mouth working for a second as he tried to form words. Clark had realized in the last couple of days that Lex was afraid to go outside. He was terrified that something would happen. It hadn't taken too terribly long for Clark to realize it, even with his mind as drifty and disconnected as it was. Mom and Dad had agreed with him when Clark asked them about it. Lex truly was terrified all the time. Bruce was right that Clark needed to take care of Lex. It helped to have someone to take care of, for both of them.

"If you want to," Lex said uncomfortably.

"I'd like to go with you." Clark made puppy eyes at Lex. "I don't want to go alone. It's scary to go out alone."

"Then I'll go with you," Lex said, finding the strength for Clark's sake.

"Thank you!" Clark said, beaming at him. "I saw roses and irises from the window, and paths with trees. I miss being outside. Inside air doesn't smell the same as outside air."

Lex laughed, standing and offering a hand to Clark.

"Then let's get you some outside air, Clark," Lex said, far more his old self.

+++++

"They're doing better," Bruce commented to Martha and Jonathan, watching Lex and Clark as they explored the gardens.

"I told you that he'd come back to us," Jonathan said, smiling sadly. "It's taking longer than I expected, but Clark's always been strong. He'll find his way back."

Bruce nodded, not as sure of it as Jonathan was. He'd spent a lot of time interacting with Clark in the two and a half months since Martha and Jonathan arrived. He was recovering his memories, but he didn't seem able to cope with them, to put them in order, and deal with them. They were isolated bits and pieces. Clark's mind was still quite fragmented.

"How are we doing on the stones?" Martha asked, smiling as Clark beamed at the scent of the roses, and had Lex smell them, too.

"I've managed to obtain the first two," Bruce said, going to his desk. He leaned on it to study the statues he'd gotten so far. "One is in this Mayan statue. The second is in this Chinese horse sculpture. It was buried in a temple garden. The third should be here in a week at the outside. That one is hidden in an Egyptian sculpture that I'm in the process of buying on the black market."

"How illegal has this been?" Jonathan asked, eyeing the sculptures that Bruce had obtained so far.

"You don't want to know," Bruce said, smirking at them. "Plausible deniability is a beautiful thing."

Martha studied the horse, frowning at it. She ran her finger over its back, tracing the symbols embossed on its base with a frown. Jonathan looked at it, frowning as well. Bruce straightened, looking at them. There was more to this than their worry over Clark and Lex. They had some idea of what the symbols meant.

"Do you know what they mean?" Bruce asked, allowing himself to be a little excited.

"No," Martha said, shaking her head. "I don't. It's just that there are symbols like these in caves near Smallville."

"Clark discovered the caves," Jonathan said, looking relieved as Martha put down the black horse. "There's…I guess it's an AI, in the caves. It seems connected to the spaceship somehow, but we've never gotten much help from it. Of course, neither of us are its favorite people. It usually only responds to Clark."

"Hmm, odd." Bruce frowned. "Well, we'll just have to gather all three, and see what happens. I don't trust the spaceship any more than you do. I don't want to remove the stones from the sculptures until we have a better idea of what will happen."

Clark started working in the garden the next day. He cut the grass, pruned the bushes, and raked up leaves. Lex at first found it worrisome, but Clark explained that doing something helped him sort the memories out without pain. Bruce used it as a chance to get Lex involved in the research into the Kawatche Caves, the symbols on the stones, and what it all meant. As always, Lex's ferocious desire to learn drove him to improve. It helped him move past his fears. He was actually starting to get back to something like the old Lex. Granted, it was the wavering Lex of Excelsior, not the powerful Lex of Smallville, but Bruce counted it as a good step forward.

+++++

Clark wasn't as drifty as he used to be. Letting the memories find him had been a good idea. Bruce had lots of good ideas, sometimes more than Lex. Clark had recalled being more than a little in love with Lex a few days ago. At first the idea had been scary, because he knew that he could hurt Lex badly if he acted on it. After a lot of work in the garden, and a quiet talk to Bruce, Clark had decided that it was OK. It was sad, because Lex clearly didn't feel the same way about Clark as Clark did about him, but it was OK. It was after that talk that Clark realized that he was feeling much the same way about quiet, calm, sometimes-snarky Bruce.

He already knew that Bruce was in love with Lex. That was so obvious that it was painful at times. Bruce wasn't saying anything, but every time he looked at Lex it showed in his eyes. Lex had talked to Clark about his past relationship with Bruce. He'd been quiet, regretful, and obviously still in love with Bruce. Clark had asked why he didn't say something to Bruce, but all Lex said was that it was over. There was no point in digging up the past when it would only cause pain. That didn't make sense to Clark at all. Clark could hurt either of them if he acted, so he had a reason not to do it. They wouldn't hurt each other. They obviously loved each other, but refused to say so. It was so confusing that he went looking for Mom and Dad.

He found them in the library. Mom was working on a laptop, doing something for Bruce. Dad was working on some papers, checking something out. Clark wasn't sure what sort of jobs Bruce had given them, but he was glad that they got to stay here at the Manor, close to Clark. It felt good to have his parents there. Mom looked up, and beamed as Clark came in, holding out a hand to him. Dad stood, giving Clark a quick hug.

"Clark, is there something wrong?" Mom asked as Clark sat next to her.

"I have a question that I wanted to ask you," Clark said, frowning as he looked at the computer his mother was using. It didn't make sense to him, another thing that he hadn't remembered yet.

"What is it?" Mom asked, rubbing Clark's shoulder.

"Why don't Bruce and Lex have sex?" Clark asked.

"W-what?" Dad asked, going a little red.

"They love each other," Clark said, leaning on the table, and cocking his head at Dad. "I'm sure of it. It shows."

"I think they do, Clark," Mom said a little hesitantly.

"But why don't they act on it?" Clark asked, confused. "They're grown ups. They love each other. Why not do it? Am I missing something big and important?"

Dad made a little harrumphing sound, rubbing the back of his neck. Mom's eyes were twinkling with laughter as she looked up at Dad. She turned to Clark, still amused. Clark realized he had to be missing something big to have them react this way.

"I am missing something," Clark said, sighing. "I wish I could get my head to work right again. This is so frustrating!"

"Clark," Mom chuckled, hugging him. "This is something you never did well. Don't feel bad that it doesn't make sense to you. I know it'll make sense eventually. You just have to wait, and give yourself time to learn, and to heal."

Clark nodded, accepting her words without quite believing them. He knew that they weren't saying everything. He remembered that they'd done that many times during his life, keeping important things from him. They'd thought it was better at the time, but Clark would have chosen differently if it was up to him. But his mind wasn't working right, his memories weren't clear yet, and he knew they loved him.

"Your mother's right, Clark," Dad said, clapping Clark's shoulder. "It's too soon for you to be worrying about that. Let Lex and Bruce take care of their relationship. Lex is still a bit fragile for that sort of thing, anyway."

Clark nodded, agreeing with that as far as it went. He thought that it would help Lex more than hurt him. Lex needed to be loved, and desperately needed to feel needed. Bruce being with Lex would help him a lot. Clark stood, smiling at his parents.

"I'm going to go work in the garden," Clark said. "Maybe if I work I can think better."

"I'm sure that it will help, Clark," Dad said, getting that pained look in his eyes that said that Clark had done something that made his heart hurt again.

"Bye," Clark said, heading out of the house and into the garden. Everything was better when he was outside working with the plants.

+++++

"What is driving you?" Bruce murmured, studying all the data he'd gathered in the last several months on Lionel Luthor. "What would drive you to destroy your prized heir?"

Bruce had learned from each of his encounters with Lionel Luthor over the years. The man had patterns, just as every criminal had patterns. All of his brushes with the elder Luthor had taught Bruce portions of the patterns that ruled Lionel's life. He had a strong understanding of what made Lionel tick. Lionel's driving desire had always been shaping Lex to be the perfect heir to the Luthor 'legacy'. Bruce considered that to be a joke, given that the man came from Suicide Slums, but Lionel took it utterly seriously.

So why had Lionel suddenly decided that Lex, his 'legacy', was expendable?

After a lifetime of grooming Lex to take over after him, Lionel had nearly destroyed his son, apparently without a second thought. The threat of death seemed the only logical reason for his behavior. Bruce had spent a great deal of money to gain access to Lionel's personal medical files, though he had yet to receive the data. He chuckled as Alfred walked in, carrying a file with his agent's insignia on it. Ask and ye shall receive, Bruce thought ironically.

"Master Bruce," Alfred said, coming into the office, "we have received the files that you requested."

"Thank you, Alfred," Bruce said, taking them.

Medical files going back before Lex was born filled the folder. Lionel had been through any number of injuries: broken bones, a couple of cracked skulls, stabbings, and several gunshot wounds. Bruce quickly flipped past the old data, moving onto the recent files. What he found made his eyebrows shoot up towards his hairline.

"Alfred," Bruce said, "Have Lex, Clark and the Kents come here. We need to talk."

"Very good, sir," Alfred said.

Alfred left the office, as imperturbable as only he could be. Bruce knew he'd looked at the data before bringing it in. Alfred always did. It was part of why he was so valuable—he was an excellent filter as well as an excellent butler—so Bruce knew that Alfred understood how important this discovery was. It would be interesting to see how Lex and Clark dealt with the news.

+++++

Lex was starting to get used to holding Clark's hand.

The first time Clark had taken his hand while they were wandering the gardens Lex had nearly jumped right out of his shoes. Clark had held on, a nearly blank puzzled expression on his face. Lex still kicked himself for that. The second time had been a shock, as had every time after that. Clark seemed to seek out opportunities to touch and hold Lex, even when his parents were with them.

Oddly, Martha and Jonathan Kent didn't seem to mind it that much when they caught the two of them holding hands, or hugging.

Lex didn't know what to make of that. Sure, Clark had passed his 16th birthday, celebrated by everyone except him, as he'd been in a fugue that day. He was past the age of consent, but that didn't make it acceptable for a boy his age to be with someone Lex's age, or with someone of Lex's dubious history. Besides, Lex was sure that it was just Clark's affectionate nature, not anything like real sexual attraction, or real love driving the demonstrations of affection.

"Where are you?" Clark asked, squeezing Lex's hand gently. "You went away."

"Sorry," Lex said, smiling briefly at him, "I was just thinking about what we have to do next. How we're going to go on when we don't have lives, identities."

"I know I can do it if I have you and Bruce," Clark said, looking nearly as strong as he used to be. He looked nearly fully present, too.

Lex smiled, glad that Clark thought he could do it. He'd come to find Clark after he'd finished his latest bit of research into the symbols on the sculptures and stones. Bruce's connections let him have access to things he'd had a hard time getting as Lex Luthor. His father had blocked so much from Lex, far more than Lex had realized at the time. Bruce's sources and computers weren't hampered by Lionel's tampering. He'd found out a lot, even managed to get at some of his father's research. The only thing he hadn't been able to figure out was why his father had done all of this. What set his father at Lex's throat? A small bit of extraterrestrial metal in the shape of an octagon didn't seem sufficient cause for everything that had happened.

"The garden looks good," Lex said, letting his mind rest for a second in Clark's quiet affection.

"Yeah, it needed someone to take care of it," Clark said, wrapping his arms around Lex. "I like taking care of it. It makes me feel better to have something to take care of."

Lex nearly asked Clark to take care of him. He bit his tongue to keep the words in. Clark didn't feel that way about Lex, and Lex wasn't going to burden him with it. Clark had enough to deal with right now. He didn't need Lex's desires on top of it. But Clark's hands as they stroked Lex's back were so comforting, and his lips against Lex's scalp felt so damned good.

"You forgot sunscreen again," Clark observed, breath gusting warmly as he laughed against Lex's head. "Come on, back inside before your head burns!"

Lex laughed, and let himself be led inside. It hardly mattered to him, but it mattered to Clark so off they went. Clark had made himself Lex's official sunscreen applier, which made Lex laugh on a regular basis. He took it very seriously, painting on the sunscreen with his fingers, making sure that Lex's face and head were properly covered. If it had been anyone else, in any other situation, Lex would have treated it as foreplay, and hauled Clark off to the bedroom. As it was, he generally had to control his responses so that he wouldn't embarrass them both. Alfred found them just as Clark was finishing up, smiling his minimal smile at the two of them.

"Master Clark, Master Alexander," Alfred said, "I've been looking for you. Master Bruce has received some information. He requests that you join him, and the Kents in his office as soon as possible."

"Information?" Lex said, instantly excited. The only thing that Bruce was currently working on that Lex was aware of was Lionel, and the stones needed to restore Clark.

"Yes, Master Alexander," Alfred said, "If you will follow me, please."

They headed for Bruce's office, Clark holding Lex's hand again. Lex was focused on what Bruce's information might tell them. He really hoped that it was the final sculpture with the final stone. The stones were the key according to Bruce, the thing that would let Clark be restored. Lex wanted nothing more than for Clark to be back to normal. His own recovery could take as long as it liked as long as Clark was OK.

"Excellent," Bruce said, smiling warmly at them as they walked in. "We were just going to go look for you two."

"We were in the garden," Clark said, almost in his lost-little-boy voice. "But Lex forgot sunscreen. I didn't want him to get sunburned. Why are we here?"

"We need to talk," Bruce said, taking Clark's backsliding with calm. "Come sit down, and we'll get started."

Lex settled at the table, smiling at Clark sat between him and Bruce. Martha and Jonathan were looking rather nervous. Clark kept his grip on Lex's hand, apparently needing the reassurance. Bruce sighed. He sat and studying his files.

"I think it's time we had a talk," Bruce said, looking at each of them in turn. "We all have pieces of the puzzle, but none of us has shared it all. It's time for the secrets to end."

"I can tell my secret?" Clark said, coming back to himself, and looking at his parents excitedly.

Martha and Jonathan exchanged looks for a long moment before turning back to Clark. Lex's mind switched into overdrive. He'd been trying to figure out Clark's secret ever since he met the boy. To suddenly have it given freely was an incredible feeling.

"Yes," Martha said, "but only to the people here, Clark. Bruce already knows. We told him when he bought the farm."

"And you didn't tell me?" Lex squawked, glaring at Bruce.

"It wasn't my secret," Bruce said, smirking at Lex. "Besides, I have to tell my secret, too."

"You have a secret?" Clark asked, looking at Bruce in fascination.

"Very much so," Bruce said, completely smug about it. "Let's begin. Lex, what exactly was your father looking for? I haven't been able to find out."

Lex blinked, surprised that it started with him. He shrugged slightly, not sure what good it would do.

"A while ago I was doing an excavation in a field near Smallville, and found a small octagonal disk that was made of a metal not found on earth," Lex said. "It was stolen by my father, then I stole it back. Shortly after that it was stolen again. I have no idea by whom. That was what he was looking for. I still don't know why."

Martha and Jonathan gasped, exchanging horrified looks. Clark dropped Lex's hand as it he'd been burned. He looked stricken, making Lex frown. Clark whimpered, hugging himself. Bruce leaned over, rubbing Clark's back with a concerned frown. Lex tried to touch Clark, but he wouldn't let Lex, shying away from his hand, and curling into Bruce's side.

"Oh God, Lex," Martha said, eyes full of pain. "I'm so sorry. We had no idea that was what caused all of this."

"It's not your fault," Lex said, frowning at her. "There's nothing for you to apologize for."

"Yes there is," Jonathan said, reaching into his shirt pocket.

He pulled out the long-lost octagonal disk, and flipped it onto the table, making Lex's heart stop, his stomach clench, and his hands start shaking.

"It's my fault," Clark whimpered, looking at the disk with tears in his eyes. "I stole it from you, Lex. It was all my fault."

"Why?" Lex demanded, confusion making his voice a lot more severe than it should have been.

"It's part of my spaceship," Clark said, trembling. He was barely able to meet Lex's eyes. "It's the key that turns it on. It was lost when I crashed on Earth, and I needed it back to be able to activate the ship."

Lex leaned back, trying to get his brain to start working again after the complete mental crash he'd just been given. He'd always believed that Clark's powers (which he still hadn't fully confirmed) came from being meteor affected. Granted, he was a strangely stable meteor freak. Lex knew perfectly well how unstable most meteor affected were from his own mind. For Clark to claim to be from another world, an alien, that was so completely unexpected that he wasn't quite able to process it. Bruce frowned, picking up the disk, and studying it. He completely ignored the others.

"You're an alien?" Lex said finally, staring at Clark in astonishment.

"Yeah," Clark said, looking like a kicked puppy. "My parents sent me to Earth because my world was dying. As far as I know, I'm the only one left."

"But your powers…?" Lex asked, leaning on the table to study Clark, a slow smile blooming on his face.

"Oh, well," Clark said, glancing at his parents quickly before focusing on Lex again, "my home world had a dim red sun. We evolved the ability to capture radiation, and use it to fuel our bodies. Earth's sun is so much stronger that it sort of supercharges my body, gives me powers."

"Wow," Lex said, grinning with delight. "Wow!"

Clark started smiling, apparently relieved that Lex wasn't freaking out. Why Lex would freak, he wasn't sure, but at least Clark was calming down. Clark bloomed into one of his light up the room smiles. He grabbed Lex, hugging him tight. Lex would swear that he was purring, though he couldn't be sure. Lex was laughing too hard.

"I've seen this before," Bruce said, his voice dark and grim.

"Where?" Lex said, blushing brightly as Clark quite literally pulled Lex into his lap to cuddle. "Clark!"

"Want to hug you," Clark said, not letting go. "You didn't freak out. You're the first person who hasn't freaked out ever. In my whole life! Even Mom and Dad freaked out when they found me."

"In my cave," Bruce said, lips twitching at Clark and Lex.

Martha and Jonathan were both fighting grins, none of which was doing anything for Lex's sense of dignity. He sighed, giving up on his dignity for now. What else could he do? Clark's arms were like iron bars.

"You have a cave?" Clark asked, surprised.

"Very much so," Bruce said, his smirk strengthening. "You'll have to come see it. That's where your spaceship is stored."

Lex raised an eyebrow at Bruce. He was telling them about being Batman?

"We'll have to go down in a bit," Bruce said, "so that I can show you were I've seen these symbols. They're in the one dry part of the cave that I haven't explored fully. The Batcave is fairly damp, despite the work we've done to channel the water. There are a lot of bats that live down there, a full breeding colony. It's a good place nonetheless."

"Bat…cave?" Jonathan asked, eyes going wide. "You're the…?"

"Batman," Bruce confirmed, utterly smug.

"You knew?" Clark asked, blinking at Lex's smug grin.

"He told me a while ago," Lex said, chuckling. "I just didn't expect that you'd tell them."

"If I'm right," Bruce said, "we need to unite the three stones in my cave, or the Kawatche Caves. Mine are definitely safer for us all, so you need to know about the cave, and about me. There's one more thing that you all need to know. I believe that I know why Lionel has done all of this."

Everyone stared at Bruce, which didn't appear to bother him at all.

"I broke several laws," Bruce said with a smirk, "and managed to get Lionel's complete medical files. Most of it isn't very interesting, other than the last year or so. Lex, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your father is dying."

"You can hate it," Lex growled, "but I don't. About damned time that man left the land of the living!"

Clark looked surprised, then a little hurt at Lex's venom. Lex looked back at him defiantly. After everything his father had done to Lex, then had done to the two of them, there was no love left in Lex's heart for his father. He'd probably throw a party when the old man was finally dead and gone.

"What is he dying of?" Martha asked, looking a little troubled, but not much.

"Inoperable liver disease," Bruce said, letting them all see the files.

Clark read over Lex's shoulder, still holding him in his lap. Lionel was dying. Unfortunately, he wasn't dying quickly. He could linger for years before he was finally gone, able to wreak havoc right up to the end. Lex sighed. He'd been hoping that it would be something quick. At this point it looked like Lionel would be dying later rather than sooner.

"But why would this mean he needs the disk?" Clark asked, kicking Lex out of his absorption with the records.

"It's the key to the ship," Jonathan said, "and the key to the AI in the Kawatche Caves, Clark. If he could get access to the AI, control it somehow, he could save his life."

"He wouldn't be content with that," Lex said, alarmed by the thought of his father with that sort of power. "He'd want to use the AI for more than just healing himself. He'd use it to further his power and control. God knows, he might even try to take over the world."

"My fault," Clark moaned. "If he does it, it will be my fault. My ship, my AI, all my fault."

Clark hugged Lex closer, burying his face in his neck. Lex pet Clark's hair, trying to comfort him. Bruce frowned, worried about Clark. He rubbed Clark's arm, which got a weak smile from Clark. Martha and Jonathan both looked unhappy, eyes watching Clark.

"It's not your fault, Clark," Jonathan declared. "What Lionel Luthor does is his fault, and his responsibility. If it weren't you, he'd be doing equally crazy things to someone else."

"I guess," Clark said, not sounding convinced at all.

Lex started as the door opened. Alfred hurried in. He looked amazingly alarmed for Alfred, which had Bruce on his feet instantly. Lex stood, relieved that Clark let him go without protest. It was embarrassing enough to be sitting in his lap without being trapped there.

"Master Bruce," Alfred said, "Lionel Luthor is diving up to the manor."

+++++

Bruce walked slowly down the main staircase, watching Lionel with a deliberately calm, impassive face. He'd sent Clark, Lex, and the Kents to his cave, through the hidden elevator in his study. They'd taken the disk, the two statues that they'd obtained so far, and all the medical files that Bruce had so illegally obtained. He'd made sure that everything was in order, made sure he looked calm, and then Bruce had headed downstairs to face a man that he considered to be among the most evil currently alive.

"I'm surprised to see you up so early in the morning," Lionel said, raising an eyebrow at Bruce. He smirked, implying so many things about Bruce, none of which were unexpected given what the paparazzi reported about him.

"I've yet to get to bed," Bruce lied calmly. "What are you doing here, Luthor?"

"What?" Lionel said facetiously, "No kind words of sympathy for the grieving father?"

"No," Bruce said, eyes going cold as ice, "not after you drove the one person I ever truly loved out of my life because of misguided beliefs about how he should be raised. Not after you let him be killed in a common car wreck."

Lionel's eyes flickered with doubt, though his smirk never wavered. He studied Bruce for a second that seemed like an hour, eyes narrowed as he looked for any sign of deceit. Bruce met the intense gaze with stony anger. He didn't deserve to be the Bat if he couldn't meet Lionel's eyes, and lie to the man's face.

"You never truly loved him," Lionel said breezily as he broke eye contact, waving a hand casually, "and we both know it. It was just a ploy to—"

"You may not have a heart," Bruce snapped, cutting him off, "but the rest of the world does. Lex meant more to me than anyone else ever has, or ever will."

"Hmm," Lionel said, covertly pleased with getting Bruce to react, "then his…friendship with Clark Kent must have been painful to you. Such a pity you never got to meet the boy that took your place in my son's heart. At least you have plenty of nubile young companions to keep your bed warm, if not that thing in your chest that you call a heart."

Bruce let the silence stretch, quite deliberately clenching and unclenching his jaw. Let Luthor think he was getting to Bruce. The man got careless when he thought he was winning. He got smug, letting things slip.

"Why are you here?" Bruce growled after several very long seconds of concealed mirth from Lionel.

"I was wondering why you found my medical records so fascinating that you had to steal them," Lionel said. "That was a bit of a miscalculation on your part, you know. Quite illegal."

Bruce raised an eyebrow at Lionel chiding anyone else about illegal activities. Lionel smirked at him, clearly feeling he had the upper hand. Bruce snorted, stepping closer, close enough that he could break the old man's neck if he so chose. It was a very tempting thought, despite Bruce's abhorrence of killing.

"Shall we say that I was glad to hear through certain connections that you were not long for the world?" Bruce said archly. It was Bruce's turn to smirk, and Lionel's turn to look uncomfortable. He'd now be suspecting that his doctors had betrayed him. "Confirming it was worth any number of unfortunate inquiries into how I spend my money. I may have to invite you to parties in the next several years, just to chart the decline, Lionel. It should be quite…entertaining. After all, I have nothing else to occupy my mind."

"Other than collecting rare bits of art, and seducing supermodels," Lionel snorted, backing off a step while trying to make it seem like he was turning to study the room. "You've done a lovely job replacing the art you destroyed in your drunken birthday fire."

Bruce controlled his expression, just watching Lionel. He knew about the statues. That would be the only reason for him to bring up art in this conversation. Bruce desperately wanted to head to the cave to check on the progress of the Egyptian sculpture. Lionel wouldn't be here probing about it if he hadn't already misappropriated it somehow. Batman might be required to get involved in the affair very soon.

"It's something to do," Bruce said, shrugging slightly, "and I have nothing but time. Others run my corporation for me. My travels gave me an appreciation of world art, so I'm bringing some of it to my home. As for the models, well, you're known for your fascination with them as well. Am I keeping one you fancy from you, Lionel? I wonder why they'd be more interested in me than you?"

He smirked, and swept the older man's frame with his eyes, making Lionel's jaw jump, and his eyes blaze with anger. The comparison between Bruce and Lionel was never going to be a flattering one for Lionel, and they both knew it.

"One would hope that they'd be more interested in substance over flash," Lionel said, the words nearly a growl.

"We are talking about supermodels, Lionel," Bruce said, honestly amused. "They only care about flash, and money. But they make nice adornments, and can be quite pleasant after the night's parties are done."

Lionel's eyes narrowed, and his lips went thin. Bruce smirked at him. Snark on their looks would always go in Bruce's favor. Lionel had to turn the conversation back to his favor, or he'd feel like he was loosing. There were only two subjects that he'd choose, Bruce thought. Either he'd bring up Lex and Clark, probing to see if Bruce knew they were still alive, or he'd bring up the statues, probing to see if Bruce had any of them, or knew what they were.

"Is that what my son was to you?" Lionel asked, jaw rising as he glared. "An adornment? A toy to while the idle hours away?"

"No," Bruce said, going as grim as he could without blatantly becoming the Bat, "he was the one who gave my life meaning and direction. When I had him, I had plans for my life. Since I lost him to your machinations, I drifted. Since he died I haven't had anything."

"Hmm," Lionel said, smirking. He clearly felt better about the direction the conversation was taking. "How sad that you had to have someone else give your life direction. But then your family has never been very…strong. Your father in particular, a nice man, but not very, how shall I put it? Wise?"

Bruce rocked on his heels, letting his breath wheeze through his nose loudly. He wanted to give Lionel the impression that he was winning. Bruce was a rich playboy, someone who was not supposed to be able to operate on Lionel's level. Lionel's eyes got intent as his smirk deepened. He was buying it, which is what Bruce wanted. Bruce knew perfectly well that Lionel wasn't part of Ras' organization. They'd never take him in. They'd only use him as a tool. He'd have to check later to see if they were using him. He'd be an excellent tool.

"Well," Lionel said, "far be it from me to keep you from your bed. I'm sure that you need your rest, Bruce."

"Get out of my house," Bruce said, glaring at him.

"Of course," Lionel said, smiling at Bruce. "I hope to see you at the Brewer party. Larissa will be with me. I think you know her?"

"Get out!" Bruce snapped, making Lionel chuckle.

He stayed in the same spot as Alfred let Lionel out. He waited as Alfred checked the window. When Alfred nodded that Lionel had drive off, Bruce let himself relax, smiling at Alfred. Alfred had his no-expression face on, which meant that he was mildly worried about Bruce.

"That went rather well," Bruce said, chuckling.

"Indeed, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked as they headed up to the office.

"Very much so," Bruce said. "He knows about the sculptures, and possibly about the stones. He was worried that I knew that Lex and Clark are alive. He may still be concerned about the sculptures, but I believe I reassured him that I 'know' that Lex is dead. Better than all of that, he's dating Larissa."

"That should be quite entertaining, Master Bruce," Alfred said, eyes twinkling with amusement.

"It definitely will be," Bruce said, chuckling. "I may have to go to the Brewer party just to watch the show. I doubt he'll be able to keep up with Larissa. She was a bit much for me in my physical condition. She'll eat him alive."

They shared amused glances. The idea of Lionel letting Larissa and her extensive collection of S&amp;M and bondage gear into his bedroom was more than enough to offset the annoyance of Lionel's visit. Bruce frowned as he entered the secret elevator. The remaining sculpture was his biggest worry. He needed to make sure that it was still on course to his hands through the black market, and that Lionel didn't get the chance to misappropriate it.

"What happened?" Lex demanded as they arrived in the Batcave. "What did he want? What does he know?"

"It went fine, Lex," Bruce said, grinning. "He wanted to see if I knew you two were alive, and he might be trying to get his hands on the third stone. I'll need to check."

"This makes you smile?" Lex asked scathingly.

"No, not at all," Bruce said, chuckling. "Do you remember Larissa? We knew her back at school, tall, dark hair, rather…forceful?"

Lex blinked, raising an eyebrow at Bruce. Lex had dated Larissa before Bruce had. He'd been the one to turn her onto S&amp;M clubs during his wild years before Smallville. The Kents looked confused, but that was to be expected. They had no idea who Larissa was.

"Yes," Lex said slowly and warily. "Why?"

"Your father saw fit to tease me with the fact that he's going to the Brewer party with Larissa," Bruce said, grinning widely. "I may have to attend just to watch the show."

"Oh my god!" Lex squawked, eyes going wide. "Dad with Larissa?!"

"Yes," Bruce said, patting Lex's shoulder as he headed to the computers.

Lex's laughter echoed through the cave, setting off the bats roosting overhead. They took flight, screeching and swooping around them all. They scared Clark and the Kents, startled Lex. Alfred barely flinched, used to it by now. Bruce walked through them, drawing strength from the intense fear they drew out of him. He remembered his father telling him that the bats attacked because they were afraid of him when he was a child. That had been the day of the opera, the day his parents died. Fear and pain, when faced, made you stronger, Bruce thought as he settled at the computers.

Time to ensure that Lionel had to face his fear of death.

+++++

Bats were spooky, Clark decided as they watched Bruce work his computers. Bruce wasn't spooky, but the bats that swooped and screeched, squeaked and fluttered around the cave made Clark want to run away. Bruce said facing fear made you stronger, so he stayed. Clark wasn't happy about staying—it made his mind get drifty, which he hated since it meant he was backsliding instead of getting better—but he stayed anyway.

"Damn that man," Bruce growled, glaring at the screen. "He's stolen the sculpture."

"What do we do?" Mom asked, clutching Dad's arm.

She looked very worried. Dad looked very grim. Lex was muttering curses under his breath. Bruce looked mildly annoyed, but calm. His calm let Clark stay calm, standing in the background with his arms crossed on his chest to keep from waving them at the squeaks and shrieks of the bats overhead. Bruce tapped keys, tracking Lionel's progress through Gotham on various cameras, as well as tracking the package as it was delivered to Lionel's hotel room in the heart of the city.

"We steal it back," Bruce said, his voice so dark that it was like he was someone else.

"But his security team is top-notch," Lex protested. "You're going to have a hell of a time getting in there, and then out again with the statue."

"They're no match for the Batman," Bruce said, lips twitching in a grim smile that was barely a smile.

Clark watched them both, ideas percolating in his head. It was odd how things were connecting lately. Lex had always seemed like two people to Clark. He'd be so nice on one occasion, and then on another he'd be dark and scary. Clark remembered it being a terrifying thing before. He'd thought there was something wrong with Lex, which made it hard to trust him. But right now Bruce was doing the same thing that Lex did. When Clark thought about it, he could remember Dad getting so furious that he was practically a different person. He could remember Mom being so sad that she barely interacted with her family. Maybe people just had different sides of them, Clark thought, parts of themselves that they didn't show all the time, or didn't show to everyone. It was a surprising thought for him. It made him wonder if he had other sides that he wasn't remembering yet.

"You're different," Clark commented, watching Bruce.

"Is it a problem?" Bruce was still grim, but also perfectly calm. He turned his chair, looking up at Clark with a faint frown.

"No," Clark said thoughtfully. "I just didn't realize that people could be so different, and still be themselves. It makes sense of a lot of some stuff that I hadn't sorted out yet."

Bruce's lips quirked in a lightning quick smile. His eyes got warm and approving. Mom and Dad looked a little confused. Lex looked worried, which made sense, given that it was the differences in Lex's behavior that had prompted the train of thoughts. Lex bit his lip, which made Clark pull him into a hug. Lex started, and then chuckled, leaning into Clark's chest. Bruce's lips twitched as he met Clark's eyes. He always looked so approving when Clark hugged Lex. Bruce knew how much Lex needed it, too.

"Good," Bruce said, going back to his computers. "The only problem that I can see is that the sculpture is being stored in a safe that I know I can't break in any reasonable amount of time."

"I could help," Clark offered. "I'm strong enough that I can break any safe."

"Literally," Dad murmured with a grin at Clark.

"Absolutely not!" Mom and Lex shouted at the same time.

"That man knows Clark's weakness," Mom declared. "Besides, Clark can't be seen in public."

"My father will use it as an opportunity to recapture Clark!" Lex objected just as fiercely. "We can't give him the chance!"

Bruce chuckled quietly, smirking at Lex. Lex bristled inside of Clark's arms. Clark had noticed that Bruce did a lot of little things that set Lex off. He thought that Bruce did it deliberately, because Lex seemed better after he did it. It was a strategic thing that was meant to help Lex get over what he'd been through. Clark couldn't help but love Bruce for the care he took of Lex. No one else seemed to want to take care of Lex besides Clark.

"I may have a solution to both of your objections." Bruce stood, heading off towards a storage area in the caves. "I had Wayne Enterprises investigate some new fabric technology, blending some high-tech Kevlar fabric with lead compounds. I've tested it, and it blocks about 85% of every radiation that I've exposed it to."

"That doesn't stop people from seeing who he is," Mom said, not at all reassured.

"It's called a mask, Martha," Bruce said, raising an eyebrow at her. "In Clark's case, a full-face helmet that complete obscures his features and jaw shape. Come see."

They followed him, Clark happily holding Lex's hand. Bruce's storage area was a lot bigger than Clark had thought, with a locker room area, showers, bathrooms, and lighted glass cases that showed his various weapons and tools. One of the glass cases had a black suit that looked a lot like the Batman suit, but without the body armor. It was Clark's size, and included a helmet that would cover his whole head. The helmet was matte black with a visor across the eyes in a strange metallic grey. It looked to Clark like the visor could be flipped up, exposing the wearer's eyes without revealing anything else of the wearer's face.

"It's black." Clark blinked at it, mildly dismayed.

"Mmm-hmm," Bruce murmured, smiling proudly.

"Really black," Clark said, cocking his head. Lex was laughing quietly. Mom and Dad had amused looks on their faces.

"There's something wrong with black?" Bruce asked, raising an eyebrow at Clark. He looked a little put out.

"I like blue." Clark smiled hopefully at him. "And red."

"The prototype fabric doesn't come in blue or red," Bruce protested, huffing a bit. "It only comes in black."

"Could it be blue or red?" Clark asked hopefully. "Maybe for a different suit, later on?"

Bruce gave him a very dark look, lips pursed. Lex was openly laughing now, grinning at them both with sparkling eyes. Mom was chuckling. Dad was grinning. Bruce sighed, rubbing his forehead as if he'd suddenly gotten a headache.

"I guess I could ask," Bruce grumbled, glaring at Clark. His lips were twitching again, so Clark thought he wasn't as angry as it seemed. Bruce just didn't like to give in on things, especially if it was something that he liked.

"Thank you!" Clark said, hugging Bruce in delight. Bruce chuckled, patting Clark's back.

"Well, now that that's solved," Bruce said, shaking his head at Clark's choice of colors, "we can plan out how we're going to do this."

"Wait a minute!" Lex objected. "I still don't think it's a good idea for Clark to go! You've said that this fabric blocks 85% of the radiation. That's not enough. If there's any of the meteor rock—"

"Kryptonite," Clark interrupted.

"Kryptonite," Lex said, giving Clark a look that said hush, I'm talking here, "then he's going to be affected by it. That means he's going to loose his powers, and he's going to be vulnerable."

"I'll be there, too," Bruce said, dismissing the concern, "so he won't be alone. Martha and Jonathan have explained that there's a radius to the Kryptonite. Depending on the quantity of it, it ranges from about five feet to about six yards. I can get Clark away from it easily enough."

Clark nodded slowly at that. He thought it was more like four feet when he collapsed, and more like three yards when he could do things again, but that was OK. He didn't want to interrupt Lex and Bruce's argument right now. He could explain it later.

"While you're being attacked by my Dad's security forces," Lex said scathingly, "trying to pull off a heist, and the cops will be on their way? Be serious, Bruce. You need a hell of a lot better plan than that before you take Clark out there!"

Bruce's breath whistled through his nose for a second as he glared at Lex. Lex glared back, fire to Bruce's ice. Mom and Dad had backed off, looking a little nervous to get between the battling men. Clark couldn't blame them. They could be really scary. Oddly, it wasn't bothering him at all. Clark thought it was because they were both trying to protect him. Or maybe it was because it was Lex and Bruce—he trusted them to do what was right for him.

"What do you have in mind, Lex?" Bruce growled, jaw working.

+++++

Lex shifted in Bruce's chair, sitting in front of the Batman's computer screens that showed so much of Gotham. Lex wasn't sure how Bruce had taped into most of the security cameras across Gotham, but he'd done it. He could track virtually anything in the city without leaving his chair. The chair was half an inch too high, an inch too deep, and the damn thing needed more lumbar support. At least the arms were well padded, Lex thought grumpily, shifting again.

"We're here," Batman said.

"Cool," Clark said, sounding awed. "This car is amazing!"

Lex laughed quietly at Clark's enthusiasm, and at Bruce's tired sigh. It must be hard on the Big Bad Bat to have Clark bouncing along at his side like an oversized puppy. Lex checked the screens. Dad was busy in the restaurant with Larissa, flirting up a storm. Lex could tell from the way Larissa was acting that she was already planning out how to hogtie him to take advantage of him later. Given the size of her purse, she'd brought some of her 'supplies' along with her. They'd just gotten the first course, so they'd be busy for a while.

"Dad and Larissa are on the first course," Lex said into his microphone. "I'd say that you have about 45 minutes tops. Probably more like 30 minutes. Larissa looks antsy."

"Pity we'll be disrupting her plans," Bruce chuckled. "If getting the statue back wasn't more important, I'd be tempted to let her take care of him."

"I'd pay for the tape of that," Lex murmured, getting a wicked laugh from the Bat. "Dad's men look bored. There are three playing cards in the main room. They look like they've only got handguns. There's one patrolling the balcony. He's got something fancy that the computers can't identify, but it looks like a prototype gun I worked on for the military. Be careful with that one. It could take Kryptonite bullets."

Clark made a horrified noise, which was shushed immediately by Batman. The monitor on Clark's helmet showed the two of them scaling the building across the street from Dad's hotel. Lex desperately wanted to examine the Batman's gear. They were rising much faster, and much more smoothly than anything he'd ever heard of.

"Made explosive bullets about seven times as powerful as conventional gunpowder, Snake," Lex explained. "They were too unstable to be useful, though. They kept exploding during the production process, and half the time they exploded in the magazine. I stopped production on them after three men were killed in an accident. Dad must have started it up again once I was out of the way."

"What else are we facing?" Batman asked.

"There are four guards outside of the suite," Lex continued checking the feed from the hotel hallway, "armed with handguns. No idea on the bullets, but I'd assume armor piercing. No cameras on the bedroom with the safe—no wait! They just opened the bedroom doors. Shit, looks like five or six in there, again armed with the prototype guns. The safe looks like a big, walk-in one, not a wall-mount the way we thought."

"I see them," Batman murmured.

They'd reached the roof, Lex assumed. They were outside of his camera coverage at the moment, other than Clark's helmet but Clark was looking around too much for his feed to be much use. It made Lex twitchy, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He'd only agreed to allow the mission after getting Bruce's agreement that he would monitor them to guide Clark. Their plan should be interesting to watch play out.

"Can I go then?" Clark asked, sounding very young and eager.

"Snake," Batman said with a tired sigh, "please do me a favor."

"Sure," Clark said, sounding a little curious.

"Speak in a much deeper tone of voice when you're in the suit," Batman said, his voice utterly pained. "You sound like a child."

Lex cracked up, howling with laughter.

+++++

Clark grinned inside his helmet, listening to Lex as he continued chuckling. Bruce had been really annoyed with Lex about the laughter, but Clark found it amusing. He knew he sounded like a kid right now. It bothered him a little bit, but stuff just came out that way. He'd try, for Bruce's sake, but he didn't think that he'd succeed very often.

"Can we get back to work now?" Bruce snarled, looking huffy in his mask and cape as he knelt in the shadows on the roof.

"Sure," Clark said, managing to pitch his voice a bit lower. "I suppose this is the wrong time to say that I'm a little bit afraid of heights?"

Bruce's head whipped around.

"Yup, wrong time," Lex chuckled. "Do your best, anyway."

"Right, will do," Clark said. "So I still do the jumps?"

"Yes, sorry Snake," Lex chuckled. "Remember, keep your head steady, and follow my instructions. Switching over to the other frequencies now."

Clark nodded, and winced at Lex's sigh. Oh, that's right, no nodding.

Clark thought that the plan Lex had come up with was a good one. The Batman couldn't just storm in, and steal the sculpture back without Lionel knowing there was a connection between Bruce and the Batman. That would be very bad. So Lex had done some research. He'd found an odd thief in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East who dressed much like the suit that Bruce had made. He never spoke, just charged in using incredible powers, and took whatever art or ancient artifact he wanted. He was called the Snake, for the silver snake in a 'S' shape on his chest. The authorities had captured him, and when they removed the helmet that he wore they found that he'd had someone giving him orders. His brain had been tampered with somehow to make him completely compliant to any instructions given him, no matter what they were. He'd hurt himself; even kill himself if commanded to. Two days later the captured Snake was murdered in his cell by a new Snake with slightly different powers.

Clark was going to pretend to be the new Snake, sent to a new country to obtain the statue stolen from Egypt. Officially, the Batman was hunting the new Snake to try to stop him, hopefully to save him from his Controller.

They'd added some lead armor to his suit to up the protection against Kryptonite, given him a backpack, and a big silver "S" on his chest to match the Snake's, and he was ready to go. The feed from his helmet would be a perfect match for the old Snake's. Lex had no doubt that Lionel would figure the frequencies out quickly, and that his security setup would be able to capture the feed automatically.

"Jump the street, Snake," Lex said, his voice now disguised by an electronic filter.

Clark took a deep breath as he backed up to get a running start. He let the breath out slow, hands clenching into fists. He bounced a little, and then ran, jumping straight across the gap between the two buildings. His heart was pounding so hard that Clark wasn't sure it wouldn't jump right out of his chest. Time seemed to slow down. The guard on the balcony hadn't noticed him yet. No one inside the suite had either. The city street below him was frozen in place, the cars looking like they were parked. Even sound seemed to go away for a second, and then time sped up again. He crashed through the balcony windows, spraying glass all over the suite. The flying shards cut the three guards as they cried out in shock.

"Turn," Lex as the Controller said calmly. "Disable balcony guard."

Clark turned. The guard on the balcony was raising his gun. It glowed green like kryptonite, but Clark barely felt anything. It was like the Kryptonite was in another room, not right there, feet from him. He grinned, moving fast to strike the gun out of the man's hand. It smacked into the wall, blowing up. Clark caught the guard by the front of his suit. The man's face looked terrified. Clark spun, throwing him into the other three guards. One went down. The other two ducked, and pulled guns.

"Disable guards."

Clark used his speed to grab the two remaining guards, knocking them out by flinging them into the wall. They actually went partway through the wall to the hallway before slumping to the floor.

"Secure suite doors."

Clark flipped up his visor, using his heat vision to weld the lock shut. The visor had lead compounds in it to protect him that made it opaque to his X-ray vision, and the glass would melt if he used his heat vision on it, thus the ability to flip it up. He added bursts of heat vision to spot-weld the hinges in place as well. It wouldn't last long, but it would slow the men outside down. He had just flipped the visor down again when the bedroom door burst open.

"Enter bedroom."

Clark rushed in, making the six guards in the bedroom cry out in shock. They started firing wildly at him. Their bullets glowed green as they flew towards Clark. He bit his lip, and did as Bruce had commanded before they began this raid. He let them hit, embedding themselves in the lead of his armor. He expected the Kryptonite to hurt, but it didn't. The lead coated the bullets, rendering them harmless.

"Disable guards."

Clark used his strength to fling the guards out of the room, into the far wall. In the process he knocked out the two guards who were getting back up in the other room. There was an odd moment of complete silence before alarms started shrilling in the building. Clark blinked. Only a few seconds had passed. It felt like much longer than that.

"Open safe."

Clark walked over to the safe, and grabbed the door. It took just a quick tug, and he had ripped the door right off. He was relieved to see that the statue was inside. He set the door to the side.

"Check sculpture."

Clark flipped up his visor, flinching slightly as the refined Kryptonite bullets in the safe made it incredibly painful to use his X-ray vision. A quick scan showed the stone inside of the sculpture, which let Clark put his visor back down, much to his relief.

"Take sculpture."

Clark reached out, grabbed the sculpture, and started to put it in his backpack. That was the signal for Bruce to arrive. He was right on time, swooping into the other room almost like a real bat. Clark paused, which was a natural reaction for him, but also perfectly in character for the Snake. The Snake had to wait for his Controller to give instructions.

"Throw safe door at Batman."

Clark really wanted to object to that one, but he didn't dare. They'd already agreed on the plan, so Clark couldn't change things in the middle. He caught the edge of the door in one hand, and flung it like a Frisbee at Batman. It tore through the doorframe, spraying splintered wooden shrapnel across the main room of the suite. Batman ducked under the door, and dodged the shrapnel easily. Lionel's men screamed in terror, hitting the deck. The door buried itself in the other wall, only half of it sticking out.

Batman advanced on Clark, so grim and dangerous that Clark completely understood why criminals were terrified of him. There was nothing of Bruce in him right now. Clark was so glad that the helmet hid his face. He was sure his terror would give him away instantly, and he knew it would upset Bruce to have Clark look at him that way.

"Hit Batman."

Clark inwardly cringed, but he swung his fist at Batman, putting about half his speed, and all his strength into. Batman ducked, just barely sliding under the blow. He slapped something onto Clark's chest, and then danced out of the way as Clark turned to hit him again.

"Remove charge!"

Clark reached to pull the charge off of his chest. Batman pushed a button on his belt, and electricity surged through Clark. The current wasn't very strong given the suit's lead hybrid fabric, and his invulnerability, but it was a beautiful show for the cameras watching them. Clark staggered. He ripped the armor off with the charge, throwing it to the side. That got rid of the encapsulated Kryptonite bullets too, which made Clark happy.

"Turn. Go to balcony."

Clark turned, and ran for the balcony. Batman was right behind him, grabbing at the backpack on Clark's back. Lionel's voice was bellowing outside the doors, and just as Batman grabbed the backpack the doors were blasted open. Lionel stood surrounded by the police, and by his men. Larissa was a fascinated shadow behind him.

"Break grip."

Clark swung his fist back, mentally apologizing to Bruce as it impacted with his jaw, splitting his lip, and making him loose his grip on the backpack. The Batman staggered backwards a few steps.

"Disable Batman."

Clark grabbed the Batman's cape, and flung him at the wall. The Batman spun in midair, using his legs to control his impact into the wall so that he bounced straight back at Clark. Clark thought it was the coolest move he'd ever seen in his entire life.

"Jump off balcony."

Clark had to literally bite his lip at that command, but he did as he'd been told. He ran to the rail, and jumped off the balcony, dropping 43 stories straight down to the ground. He was terrified the whole time, watching the ground come flying up at him. He landed on his back, wrapped protectively around the precious sculpture. The impact was so powerful that he created a crater in the sidewalk, stopping traffic all around him. He could hear people screaming, and a thousand police sirens. The cops pulled up around the building were shouting for an ambulance. Clark stood. The shouts turned to orders for him to put his hands over his head. Their voices were shaking as they yelled at him.

"Look up."

Clark looked up, seeing the Batman soaring down at him, cape functioning like wings. Clark grinned. Bruce was all right! Granted, he hadn't hurt Bruce that much, but the cops and guards could have shot him.

"Return to base."

Clark tucked the statue into his arm like a football, and ran for Wayne Manor at top speed. To everyone else, the Batman included, it must have been like he disappeared. The world went dead stop around him, the cars, people, animals, and the light rain that was just starting up becoming like a freeze frame picture. He was home in the Batcave before very many seconds had passed.

+++++

Batman swooped over the shocked police, landed next to his Tumbler, and climbed in. He ignored the police, and drove away, allowing himself to enjoy the Tumbler's unique ability to go quite literally wherever he wanted to go. Their little charade had been remarkably successful.

They had the sculpture with the final stone. Lionel was now left in a ruined suite with Larissa, who would likely be twice as frisky after seeing the destruction. Clark had performed brilliantly, with not the slightest hint of hesitation, or lack of control. Finding out that he was afraid of heights made Bruce feel terrible about making him jump off of the balcony. The drop to the street below must have been agony for the boy.

"Do we have it?" Batman murmured into his microphone.

"We do indeed," Lex replied, glee in his voice now that they'd switched over to the more secure frequencies that the Batman used. "Clark's just changing clothes, and putting it with the others. Great job, Clark!"

"Thank you!" Clark said, barely sounding like a boy at all. "Is Batman OK?"

"Fine," Batman said, a smile stretching his face enough to make his split lip hurt. "I'm going on patrol as if I'm searching for the Snake. I'll let you know what happens when I get back."

There was a startled 'Mmph!' from Lex with a little purr from Clark. Bruce blinked. He could swear he heard the sound of kissing, really serious kissing.

"Turn off the microphone if you're going to kiss, you two," Bruce said, chuckling.

"Clark!" Lex gasped.

"Sorry," Clark said. He didn't sound very sorry at all as he shut off the microphone.

Bruce kept chuckling. He'd expected Lex to be the one to take things to the next level for the two of them, but Clark doing it was somehow very right. It was hard to keep the Batman's grim expression on as he patrolled the city, stopping crimes, breaking up assaults, and always 'searching for the Snake'. His mind stayed with Clark and Lex, a little sad, but a lot pleased that they might finally be together properly. He wouldn't let himself wish that it had been him that Lex or Clark chose. He wasn't surprised an hour later when the Bat signal appeared on the clouds that hung over the city. Batman made sure to arrive dramatically, making Gordon start.

"You called?" Batman said, making sure to keep his voice low and husky.

"Yeah," Gordon said, rubbing the back of his neck before hooking a thumb at the flashing lights, and sirens still blaring outside Lionel's hotel. "What the heck was that?"

"Have you heard of a thief called the Snake?" Batman asked, arms crossed on his chest as he looked impassively down at the chaos.

"No." Gordon looked utterly puzzled.

"He works mostly in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East," Batman explained, "stealing art, rare artifacts and occasionally money. He's super-powered. This appears to be the second or third Snake. The first was captured in Mecca, trying to steal a holy artifact from a mosque. When they took his helmet off, they found that the Snake had been…altered. He was so suggestible that he would do literally anything that he was told to do, as long as the order was phrased in brief sentences with simple words. Two days after he was captured, a new Snake murdered him in his prison cell. The new Snake escaped entirely."

"Good god," Gordon said, looking horrified.

"The Snake is a victim," Batman said grimly. "I heard through my contacts that he was hunting a sculpture stolen from a black market dig in Egypt. I decided to try to capture him. If I could catch the Snake, I might be able to track back to his Controller, the real criminal. Whoever it is, the Controller is destroying people's minds, experimenting on them. He needs to be stopped."

"Oh," Gordon said, shaking his head as if overwhelmed. "Is anything about your enemies normal?"

Batman quirked his lips in a microsecond smile. They both knew the answer to that one.

"I need to go," Batman said, going to the edge of the roof. "I still might be able to find him."

"Good luck," Gordon called, but Batman had already leaped off the roof.

+++++

"Clark," Lex said, trying to push him away. It was like pushing at a mountain. "Clark, stop it!"

"Uh-uh," Clark murmured, kissing Lex's neck, ear and jaw line.

Lex moaned, barely able to keep himself from grabbing Clark, and kissing him hard. As much as he wanted this, he was sure that it wasn't what Clark really wanted. Lex must have done something to make him think he had to do it. Because Lex refused to take advantage of Clark, he had to stop him, figure out what went wrong, and fix it, even though the darkest part of his soul was screaming at him to shut the fuck up, and enjoy himself.

"Clark!" Lex gasped as he ripped Lex's shirt open. "Damn it, stop!"

"Don't want to," Clark said, pulling back enough to look Lex in the eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" Lex asked, swallowing hard at the very adult lust he saw in Clark's eyes.

"That was really exciting, Lex," Clark said, running his fingers of Lex's exposed chest. "Really exciting. And I've wanted to do this for ages, practically since I met you. I know you like me. Bruce said so, and I can see it. I know I like you, too. Mom and Dad are stuck upstairs, keeping up appearances. Alfred's not likely to interrupt. He's the one who set up my bedroom so that we can all sleep together if we want. And Bruce can join us if he wants when he gets back."

Lex had to capture Clark's hands in his own so that he could actually follow all the incredible things that were coming out of Clark's mouth. The things those hands were doing was far too distracting to let Lex focus. One thing at a time. If he let himself get caught in the whole flow he'd be lost, his dark side winning.

"Really exciting—what do you mean by that?" Lex asked, attempting to keep control of the hands that were far too large, far too agile and much too strong for Lex to really be able to stop them.

"Really exciting, Lex," Clark said huskily.

The look in Clark's eye, and the hitch in his voice, made it perfectly clear what he meant by 'exciting.' Of course, the quite obvious bulge in his pants made that clear, too. Lex shivered, unable to control Clark's hands. They broke free of Lex's restraint, and started to play with his nipples.

"It was exciting," Clark purred, eyes hot as he gazed down at Lex. "You, and Bruce, and the costumes, and doing that, stealing the sculpture, but actually saving it, pulling one over on your Dad, and even the jump off the balcony! That was terrifying, but then when I stood up I was fine, and everyone was staring at me in awe, and Bruce was flying down, wow!"

He shook his head, the bulge in his pants getting more pronounced. He leaned closer, breath warm against Lex's lips as his nose nearly touched Lex's nose.

"But the best part was that you were there," Clark whispered, face so honest, open, and god, the love in his eyes! "You were there, guiding me, telling me what to do. Your voice in the helmet made me feel so safe, Lex. I wasn't on my own. I had you there, and that made so much easier for me to do what I needed to do. You were with me, and I felt so safe—"

Lex grabbed his head, and pulled Clark into the deepest, hottest kiss he'd had since he and Bruce had been lovers years ago. Clark made up in enthusiasm for what he lacked in experience. There was a jerk of sudden movement, and Lex found himself sitting on Clark's lap. The kisses went on, punctuated by occasional murmured incoherent words. Lex jumped to his feet when a quiet 'ahem' sounded behind them.

"My apologies, Master Clark, Master Alexander," Alfred said, "but would you like your tea here, or in the locker bedroom?"

"There's a bed in the locker room?" Clark asked, visibly delighted.

He wrapped his arms around Lex, pulling him into his lap again. Lex's heart hadn't quite recovered from the shock of Alfred's appearance behind them, but Clark's touch and continued kisses might have something to do with it, too.

"Indeed," Alfred said, as perfectly an impartial English Butler as he could be at that point, "a King size bed. Master Bruce uses it on occasion when he returns from patrol injured, and cannot be transported upstairs immediately."

Lex chuckled at the plea in Clark's eyes. He hadn't been able to resist those puppy eyes when it was things like favors, or rides in Lex's cars. There was no way he'd resist when it was the request to take it to a proper bed so that they could make love to each other.

"We'll have tea in the bedroom," Lex said, trying to sound as controlled as he could. He liked to think that he sounded calm, but with Clark's hands delving further south, Lex didn't think he succeeded.

"Very good, Master Alexander," Alfred said as calmly as if they'd been taking formal tea with the Queen. He headed into the locker room with the tray, nodding calmly to them a moment later as he headed back upstairs.

"I like Alfred," Clark said fondly. "Dad would have yelled, and Mom would have freaked."

"God, stop that!" Lex groaned, as Clark fondled him. "We're not getting to the bedroom if you keep that up."

There was another flash of movement, and they were in the bedroom, lying on the bed together. Clark's shirt had disappeared along with the remnants of Lex's shirt. Lex's pants were undone. Clark's pants, socks, and shoes were gone, leaving only red flannel boxers constraining what turned out to be a very impressive erection.

"Better?" Clark asked, grinning at Lex.

"Other than I have too many clothes on," Lex laughed as he skinned out of his pants. "Now what was that you said about Bruce joining us?"

Clark's face got loving as he settled next to Lex, petting his stomach. His expression may have been gentle, but his fingers were quite firm as they pulled off Lex's underwear so that he could touch everything. Lex shivered. It was little cold in the Batcave to be naked.

"He loves you," Clark said, draping himself over Lex's body to keep him warm. "I saw it almost as soon as I started coming back to myself. He loves you desperately, and thinks that you don't love him anymore. I know you love him. I've seen the way that you look at him, and hear it in the tone of your voice when you talk to him. The way you tease him makes it so obvious. I'd never keep the two of you apart. I want you both to be happy. Maybe someday he'll decide he likes me, too."

"Oh, Clark," Lex breathed, caressing his jaw, and those wonderful lips. "I don't think that anyone would ever have a problem falling in love with you."

The kiss this time was sweet, gentle, and so loving that it threatened to send Lex off into tears. He refused to cry anymore, so he growled, deepening the kiss, being rougher with Clark. There was no chance he was going to hurt him, after all. Clark rumbled deep in his chest, and met Lex's increased passion with his own. By the time Clark's boxers disappeared, the bed was a mess, Lex was grateful to his father for stealing the sculpture, and they were both groaning loudly.

"I've never…" Clark confided as he tossed his boxers off of the bed.

"I know," Lex said, smirking at him. "It shows."

"Tell me what to do," Clark whispered, breath hitching with arousal. "Command me, Lex. Control me."

Lex shut his eyes, bit the inside of his cheek, and squeezed hard on his cock to keep from coming right then. It still took a second to win back control. Lex opened his eyes, grinning at Clark who was a little wide-eyed at the effect his words had on Lex.

"Lie on your back," Lex said, using his best Controller voice.

Clark beamed at him, and did precisely that. Lex wasn't sure how long he was going to be able to keep up this game. Clark doing his bidding in bed was the very top of Lex's sexual fantasy list, and here it was coming true.

"Put your hands over your head."

Clark did, stretching his stomach out, and making every glorious muscle in his torso flex in ways that nearly undid Lex's control again. Lex got up, searching the bedside table. He wasn't at all surprised to find appropriate lubrication and condoms tucked inside. Lex chuckled, wondering if Bruce's patrols had similar effects on his libido as Clark's adventure today. Of course it was possible that Alfred simply deemed it appropriate to have lubrication and condoms in all the bedside tables. Lex had never checked his. He made a mental note to do so later.

"Warm it up a little."

Clark grinned, zapping the lube with his heat vision. It warmed to body temperature immediately. Lex carefully drizzled some on Clark's erection, smirking at his whimper. When Lex reached out to stroke Clark, spreading the lube, Clark jumped, barely keeping his hands over his head. Lex chuckled evilly. He dropped Clark's erection, which made him groan in disappointment, knelt on one knee, and started to finger his own ass. Clark's eyes got large as he watched Lex slip first one, then two fingers inside.

"Don't move!" Lex warned as Clark's arms started coming down.

Clark's whole body was quivering by the time Lex had prepared enough. Lex stroked Clark's erection again, getting a low, whimpering groan from him. Lex took out a condom, putting it on Clark. Clark might not be able to get anything, but then again he might. Lex wasn't going to take the chance, not on Clark's first time. A bit more lube, and they were ready. Lex straddled Clark's hips, gently, slowly working Clark into his body.

"Stay still."

Clark's whine said more clearly than words just how hard that command was for him, but Clark did as he'd been commanded. His arms stayed over his head, his hips stopped thrusting upwards, and he nearly stopped breathing. They both groaned as Lex settled, Clark completely buried inside. Lex stayed still for a long moment, trembling. It had been so long since he'd done this, aside from the rapes, which didn't count. It had been even longer since it had been someone Lex loved.

"God, you feel good!"

Clark beamed at him, and then bit his lip as Lex started moving. Clark's hands were clenching, and unclenching continuously over his head. Lex did his best to control his breathing, focusing on Clark's pleasure, but damn it was difficult when it had been so long, and Clark felt so good. Lex played with Clark's nipples, making him gasp. Every muscle in his torso jumped when Lex licked Clark's chest, shifting position to grind down on Clark's cock.

"Can't…" Clark whimpered, biting his lip.

"Me either," Lex moaned.

He sped up, eyes shut as they both raced towards orgasm. When Clark gasped, flinging his head back as he cried out, and came, Lex was right with him, back arching as he came all over Clark's stomach. He collapsed on Clark's chest, panting. Clark wrapped his arms around Lex tenderly, so infinitely gentle for how strong he was.

"Love you," Clark whispered, voice a little hoarse.

"Love you, too," Lex whispered back, refusing to let the damned tears out. They were tears of joy, but he still refused to cry. "Love you, too."

+++++

Bruce pulled the mask off, sighing as he ran his fingers though sweat-soaked hair. It had been a good patrol, with much accomplished. This had to be one of the best nights he'd had as the Batman in a long time. The fact that Lex and Clark weren't waiting for him by the monitors only made him smile. They must have gone upstairs to be together.

Bruce pulled off his suit, showered, all the while thinking of the locker bedroom, and the lube tucked in the drawer. Patrols like tonight's tended to set off his libido. The bad nights certainly didn't, but there appeared to be a natural high involved with saving people, and protecting his city on the good nights. That was something that Ras hadn't known with his fascination with destruction, Bruce thought sourly as he dried off, and pulled on a plush black robe.

Bruce stopped in his tracks as he entered the locker bedroom. Clark and Lex were there, curled up together on the bed. The blankets had slipped down so that both of them were revealed to the waist, naked flesh gleaming in the dim light of the room. Even in the dark, Clark was golden. Lex was pearly-pale next to him, curled up over his chest.

"Wow," Bruce breathed, unaware that he'd spoken at all.

Clark's eyes opened, gleaming green in the dim light like a cat's eyes. He smiled at Bruce, holding out a hand to him. Bruce's breath caught as his pulse tripled, his groin reacted, and his stomach turned to knots. That couldn't be the offer than he thought it was.

Bruce turned to hurry away, upstairs, somewhere safe, away from the temptation of that bed, Lex, Clark, both of them together. There was a quiet whoosh, and Clark was standing in front of him, naked as the day he was born, half erect, and twice as beautiful as any Greek god.

"Don't go," Clark said, voice low, deep, and far more adult than Bruce had heard since his arrival. "Please, Bruce. Lex loves you so much. He needs you. If you don't want me here, I'll go, but Lex needs you this way."

Bruce's instinctive first response was to splutter, which he instantly squashed. Bruce Wayne did not splutter. The Batman absolutely never spluttered. He stilled, letting all his meditative training take hold as he looked up at Clark with a faint frown. Clark's eyes were very alert, very calm. He meant what he was saying; Bruce had no doubt of that. Amazingly, he looked completely sane, as far as Bruce could see.

"I haven't seen that," Bruce said very quietly, not wanting to wake Lex.

"He's convinced that you don't love him anymore," Clark said, voice equally low. "I know that you do. I saw it before, and I see it now. You love each other. Lionel isn't standing between you anymore, Bruce. You can have that love again if you'll just reach out to him. I mean it. If you want me to go, I will. I love Lex so much, but I'd never keep him away from you. M-maybe someday you can learn to love me that way, too, but for now—"

Bruce reached up, pulling Clark down into a passionate kiss, shutting off the worried nonsense coming from his mouth. As if that was a problem! Bruce had fallen for Clark ages ago. He'd simply never believed that he had a chance with him, not with Lex around. Clark groaned, pulling Bruce close. They fit together perfectly, bodies melding together as if they belonged together, just the right heights to make the kiss effortless.

"Mmm," Lex purred, "now that is exactly what I like waking up to! Come to bed, and share some of that with me, you two."

"Told you," Clark said with a grin at Bruce. "I do have a question, though."

"Sure," Bruce said, dropping his robe to the floor as he headed to the bed to kiss Lex, his former, and once-again lover. "What is it?"

"Is doing your patrols as exciting for you as it was for me tonight?" Clark purred.

Bruce burst out laughing, and pulled Clark down into the bed with them. He guided Clark's hands to his crotch, gasping as the boy's large hands stroked his thoroughly erect cock. Lex was nuzzling Bruce's neck, exactly on the spot that always had driven him crazy. Lex was chuckling at Clark's question.

"Probably even more so," Bruce said huskily. "So let's take care of both of our problems, why don't we?"

"Thought you'd never ask," Clark purred, kissing him again.

+++++

As confident as Clark had been last light, and a wonderful as it had been to wake up cradled in Lex and Bruce's arms, Clark really wished that he could go back to his drifty, thoroughly insane state of mind. Something about last night's adventure had snapped him back to the sane portion of his mind. He could feel the instability around the edges, like standing on thin ice that was cracked at the edges. Lex and Bruce had made the ice under his metaphorical feet stronger, but having to tell his parents that he'd just taken not one, but two male lovers, both rich billionaires much older than he was, was making it crack again.

It would be so nice to be able to just drift through the conversation, and let Lex and Bruce deal with it, but Clark wouldn't do that to them. He'd initiated things with Lex, and with Bruce. He'd insisted, not them. It was his responsibility, not theirs. But that didn't make seeing his father's anger, and his mother's disappointment any easier.

"Let me get this straight," Dad said, visibly reining in his temper, "You seduced them?"

"Yes, sir," Clark said, swallowing hard, but meeting his parent's anger squarely.

"I can't believe this!" Dad shouted, turning away with his jaw working.

"Dad," Clark said, "I remember telling you that I was in love with both of them. Last night helped me find some stable ground mentally. Lex and Bruce are helping make me stronger. I knew what I was doing, and I knew what I wanted."

"You're only 16, Clark!" Dad shouted. "You're not old enough for this sort of thing!"

"How do you know?" Clark demanded, squaring his shoulders. "I'm an alien, Dad. How in the world do you know when my people mature? For that matter, how do we know I'm male? For all we know, for my species I could be female!"

"Clark," Mom said, exasperated.

"You don't know, Mom," Clark insisted. "I don't know. I'm from another world, for heaven's sake! Things may work totally different for my species."

"It doesn't matter, Clark," Mom said. "You're not…"

"Sane," Clark agreed calmly. "I know that. At this moment, I'm pretty stable, but I can feel the insanity at the edges of my mind. That's part of why I did it. Lex and Bruce make it better. Being around them, touching them, being with them, including the sex that I know I shouldn't have done, all of it makes me more stable."

Mom and Dad exchanged pained looks, Dad shaking his head at Clark.

"You can dislike it all you want," Clark declared. "You're my parents. It's your right, and your responsibility to not want me to do this. But it makes me feel better. Have I been this coherent since I was kidnapped? Have I?"

Dad rubbed the back of his neck, and sighed, shaking his head reluctantly.

"No, you haven't," Dad said. "That doesn't change the fact that they should have said no. Especially Lex."

"Why?" Clark said, annoyed. "He's as unstable as I am, Dad! Good Lord, what do you expect of him? I'm the only thing keeping him from going completely insane. I came onto him. I didn't give him much of a choice, physically or emotionally. He needed it as much as I did. After everything that he's done to help, and to protect me, can't you let go of your hated for his name? It's not Lex's fault he was born into the Luthor family!"

"I can't believe that Bruce agreed to it," Mom complained, sighing. She looked utterly betrayed.

"You seem to think I was the focus for Bruce," Clark said, cocking his head at her. He decided it was better to lie a little here. "I wasn't. Lex is the focus for both of us. Sure, Bruce definitely touched and kissed me, but it was Lex that he was really with. I can go into all the gory details if you want, but you obviously don't understand what happened between the three of us."

It wasn't strictly a lie. The second time Lex had been the focus. Clark decided it was better to leave them in the dark on the first round where Clark had most definitely been the focus of both Lex and Bruce.

"No details!" Dad squawked, waving his hands at Clark. "I'm sorry, Son, but I don't want to hear any details of anything you did with either of them."

Clark and Mom exchanged amused glances as Dad went utterly red in the face.

"We can talk about it later," Mom said, sighing and shaking her head at Clark.

"You didn't have to tell them alone," Lex said from the door, dismayed.

"You shouldn't have told them alone!" Bruce glowered at Clark.

"No!" Clark snapped sharply enough to make everyone rock back on their heels. "I pushed it. I made the choice. It wasn't Lex. He tried to stop me. Bruce walked away, and I had to use super speed to stop him. I'm big enough, and strong enough that I can do pretty much anything I want. No one can force me to do something I don't want to do without Kryptonite. It was my choice, so it was right for me to explain it to them."

"You really are doing better," Lex said, a smile blooming on his face.

"For the moment," Clark said shrugging. "I can feel the insanity at the edges of my mind. It's still there. I've just sort of slid into a part of my mind that's working properly. I'm pretty sure I could backside easily."

"Then we need to get to work on figuring out what to do with the stones of power," Bruce said, meeting Mom and Dad's eyes with no real apologies. "That will restore Clark to his proper mind."

"This isn't over," Mom said, giving all three of them the 'so disappointed in you' look that always made Clark want to crawl into a hole to hide. This time it didn't have half as much strength. Clark had done what needed to be done, even if Mom and Dad didn't understand.

"Where do we start?" Dad said, just as disappointed in them as Mom was.

"The cave," Bruce said. "I need to have Clark look at the portion of my cave that seems to match with the Kawatche Caves. I don't want to go to Smallville if we don't have to."

+++++

Smallville had changed for the worse, Lex thought a few weeks later as he peered through the dark glass of Gabe Brown's limo's windows. His father had closed the plant, shut down the Talon, stopped all the donations that Lex had set up, and pulled all financial support out of the projects that Lex had begun. Smallville had suffered for Lex's 'death', a fact that Lex was determined to fix once Clark was restored, and he had a new identity. He wouldn't let his father destroy everything that Lex had worked so hard to build.

"This is bad," Clark said, looking as dismayed as Lex felt. "Why did he have to destroy everything?"

"That's what he does," Lex growled, leaning into Clark's side.

The visit to the Kryptonian part of Bruce's cave hadn't been a success. There had been wall paintings, signs that the place had once been like the Kawatche caves, but something had happened centuries ago to destroy the AI. It was dead, dark, and unresponsive to everything that Clark, Lex, and Bruce tried. Eventually, they had gone to the spaceship. It had told them that it wouldn't work; Bruce's caves were nonfunctional. Once the crystals were reunited, they could be used in concert with the spaceship to restore Bruce's cave, transferring everything from the Kawatche Caves, but without uniting the elements of power it wouldn't work.

So they'd had to come up with another plan. Part of it had been Bruce, part had been Lex, but the major portion of their plan had come from Clark this time. He was the one who'd suggested contacting Joseph Willowbrook. He was the one who'd come up with his new identity as a Kawatche Indian. Amazingly, he was the one who'd suggested terrorist actions against Lionel's people studying the caves to get them out of the way. It might not work right away, but he was pretty sure he could drive them out in fairly short order. Lex was amazed at how sneaky Clark could be when he put his mind to it.

Bruce had contacted Joseph Willowbrook as Mr. Marlow, officially notifying him of his illegitimate grandson. He brought Joseph to Gabe Brown's penthouse. He'd been amazed to have a grandson he hadn't known about. He nearly had tears of joy in his eyes when he found out that Clark—or as Joseph called him Naman—was still alive. He gladly joined their little plot, agreeing to keep the secret even from his granddaughter Kyla. It helped that Joseph's son was long dead, and thus unable to reveal the plot. It should be interesting to see how it all played out.

"How do you feel?" Clark asked, petting the custom wig on Lex's head.

"Itchy," Lex said, chuckling. "It's been so long since I had hair that I forgot how annoying it can be scratching against your neck. It's a pity that this is the perfect disguise for me. I've really gotten used to being bald."

"Who is this Gabe anyway?" Clark asked as Bruce drove them out of Smallville, heading for the farm.

"He was a fake ID that Bruce and I created together," Lex said, grinning wickedly. Bruce's eyes twinkled with amusement in the rearview mirror. "We were seniors in Excelsior, and needed a fake ID that we could use to get away with stuff. Gabriel Brown was the name we chose. Took quite a bit of hacking in the school computer system to make him, but we did it. I usually played Gabe, while Bruce covered my tracks. It was so much fun! We did so many blatantly illegal things using that ID. Bruce and I were pretty wild back then."

"Gabriel Brown has been very useful over the years," Bruce said, chuckling. "That's why I maintained the identity, even set up a fortune for him. While we were in our senior year at school, Lionel learned about a friend of Lex's named Gabe, found out the sorts of things he was getting into with Lex, and used his power to attack him. I turned Gabe into a terrified recluse in response. He's watched 'Gabe' ever since, but hasn't touched him. In reality, it's made it easier for me to use the identity. I ought to thank Lionel for it someday."

"So I get to play neurotic rich nutcase," Lex said with a delighted laugh, "while Bruce plays loyal butler a la Alfred, and you get to play beautiful boy-toy."

"Who is also in love with the butler," Bruce said, "which Gabe knows, and uses to play the two of us against each other."

"Gabe's a bit of a bitch," Lex said, grinning at Clark's startled laughter. "Well, he is. He always was a complete bitch, utter queen, and very proud of it."

"So I get to be obviously attracted to Bruce," Clark asked with a delighted grin, "as well as to you?"

"That you do," Bruce said, eyes smiling harder at them. "It should make for some very interesting gossip around town."

"They'll be gossiping about it for years!" Clark laughed. "How long will we be here?"

"Depends on how long it takes for you to get the crystals taken care of," Bruce said, shrugging slightly. "That depends on how soon we can chase Lionel's people out of the caves."

They drove up to the Kent farm. Some things had changed, though the house and barn looked the same from the outside. Bruce had put up a solid fence with tall shrubs along the property line to shield the house from view. There was another layer of shrubbery and landscaping that blocked even more. The house was nearly hidden from the road, which Lex didn't particularly like, but understood. It fit with the cover story, and Gabe's terror of being seen.

"Wow," Clark said, peering out with a delighted grin, "I love the new landscaping, Bruce!"

"From now on I'm not Bruce anymore," Bruce reminded Clark. "Call me Mr. Marlow or David. Lex is Gabe, and you're…?"

"I know, I know. I'm Conner Willowbrook." Clark rolled his eyes. "I know that the car is soundproofed so that no one can hear us, so quit being twitchy."

"Assume that we're being spied on, and you'll be fine," Bruce said. "I know that Lionel's hidden some cameras and microphones in the house and barn. I'll pretend not to find them at first. Gabe can have a fit about being spied on in a day or two, and then we'll find them."

Bruce parked the car, and turned to look at them both.

"Joseph should be here within a half-hour," Bruce said, "with some of the Kawatche. That's when things should start getting interesting. Do your best with the lies, Clark."

"I'm really bad at lies," Clark said, making a face.

"You'll be fine," Lex said, giving him a kiss. "All you have to lie about is your name. Everything else is the truth. You are my lover. You do love Bruce. You do want to save the caves from Lionel. You do hate Lionel, and what he's done to Smallville. Lionel did destroy Gabe Brown. It's all true other than your name."

"It's not quite that simple," Clark said, rolling his eyes, "but I'll do my best."

Bruce nodded, and got out of the car to open the door. Lex put on his best neurotic mannerisms, making Clark instantly become worried and attentive. Clark really didn't have to act at all. All he had to do was care for them, and do what was right. It would work.

+++++

Bruce looked out the kitchen window half an hour later, suppressing a grim smile at the sight that met his eyes. Joseph Willowbrook, his granddaughter Kyla, several other Kawatche, and Chloe Sullivan were getting out of their cars, and coming to the door. Bruce assumed that Chloe had been contacted to (officially, since Joseph already knew exactly where they were) help Joseph track Conner down. Bruce finished making tea, heading to Lex and Clark, who were snuggled on the couch. Clark came alert immediately, smiling lovingly at Bruce. Lex smirked, groped Clark, and took the tea, going deeper into his role as Gabe. The knock on the door prompted 'Gabe' to screech, drop the cup of tea, and cower in Clark / Conner's arms. He was easily visible from the door, judging by Chloe's wide eyes.

"Make them go away!" Lex yelled, running to the bedroom. "God, make them go away!"

Bruce sighed. He let Clark pick up the broken teacup, patting his shoulder reassuringly.

"I'm sorry," Bruce said, using his best Alfred manners, "but Mr. Brown does not take visitors. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."

"I haven't come for him," Joseph said grimly. "I've come for my grandson Conner."

"Please, they just want to talk to him," Chloe pleaded. "I know Mr. Brown is a recluse, but he can't keep Conner from his family."

"I've already met them," Clark said, coming to the door behind Bruce. "We've talked. I'm where I want to be, sir. I don't want to leave Gabe. I love him, whether you understand that or not."

"You don't have to live this way," Joseph said, sounding convincingly anguished. "I don't care what happened to you, or what you did, Conner. We're your family. We just want you to be happy."

"Then go away, and leave me alone!" Clark said, looking hurt. "You're scaring Gabe. I don't want him getting worse when he's finally getting better. Gabe loves me, sir. I love him. That's what matters. I don't know you. Maybe when Gabe is better we can get to know each other, but for now all I want is to take care of Gabe."

He turned away, and headed into the bedroom where Lex could be heard whimpering. Bruce sighed, letting his love for Clark show on his face as he stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. Joseph looked crushed. Kyla looked confused, and concerned about her grandfather. Chloe looked like she was about to explode with curiosity.

"I'm sorry," Bruce said quietly. "Mr. Brown is profoundly socially phobic, and agoraphobic. Conner is the first person that he's trusted in his life since high school."

"My grandson needs better than this," Joseph said, waving at the house. "He shouldn't be trapped in a house with that man! He should get treatment for what happened to him. He should have a home where he's with family."

"I don't disagree with you," Bruce said, eyes showing his pain, "but I don't think that Conner will go. After everything that he's been though, Conner is very unwilling to trust anyone. He trusts Mr. Brown and me. I don't think there's anyone else that he trusts anymore."

"What happened to him?" Kyla asked, holding her grandfather's arm lovingly.

"He appears to have been raped," Bruce said carefully, "and tortured by someone that he trusted. He was living on the streets when I met him."

"Oh my god," Chloe breathed, horrified. She exchanged looks with Kyla, both of whom looked determined to help Conner.

"Conner needs Gabriel just as much as Gabriel needs Conner," Bruce said sadly. "Please be patient. They're both improving the longer they're together. Give Conner time. He'll reach out to you when he's ready."

Joseph sighed, shaking his head sadly.

"I trust that you'll let me know if he changes his mind," Joseph said, looking at Bruce with only the faintest twinkle in his eyes.

"Of course," Bruce said, nodding. "I promise."

"Thank you," Joseph said sadly, letting Kyla pull him away. The others followed. Chloe hesitated on the porch, biting her lip.

"What happened to Mr. Brown to make him this way?" Chloe asked, unable to resist the call of her curiosity.

"Lionel Luthor," Bruce said, letting his face go black with anger. "The senior Mr. Luthor decided that his son Lex's friendship with Gabriel was inappropriate. He sent people who attacked and nearly killed Gabriel. He was always fragile, prone to nervousness, and panic attacks. The attack was the first step. Mr. Luthor spent nearly three months finding ways to torment him, and to destroy Gabriel's self confidence. By the end of it, he was what you see today: so severely socially phobic he cannot interact with strangers, agoraphobic to the point he is unable to leave the house, and functionally crippled by his fears. If it were not for his money and family, Gabriel would have been in an institution for a decade."

"Whoa," Chloe said, reacting to both what Bruce told her, and to his anger about it. "Um, sorry for setting him off. I'll just go now."

Bruce waited until she had driven away after the others, and then headed inside. That went almost perfectly, Bruce thought, keeping a smirk off of his face with practiced skill. It wouldn't do to have the cameras pick up on his satisfaction. Lionel had to be watching them, gloating over what he'd wrought.

+++++

Clark knew that the confrontation between Joseph Willowbrook and his illegitimate grandson Conner quickly became the stuff of Smallville legend. It helped that Chloe had been along, Clark thought, as he shopped for groceries downtown the next week. Their entry into Smallville had become the biggest gossip point in years. People whispered around him as he shopped, and everyone stared. It was actually almost fun, though he'd never admit it to his parents when he got back home to the Manor. They didn't think showing off of any sort was good, though in this case his showing off was hiding his true identity, and his mission.

"Um, hi."

"Hi?" Clark whirled, blinking at a hesitant Lana Lang.

This was not a conversation he'd ever expected to have. He once loved Lana, though now he thought it had been more of a crush than real love. He knew what real love was now, and what he'd felt for Lana wasn't close to what he felt for Lex and Bruce. The difference made him stare at Lana, studying her to see if he could remember why he'd loved her. She blushed, looking decidedly uncomfortable with his gaze.

"Sorry," Lana said. "Um, I just wanted to say welcome to Smallville."

"Oh!" Clark ducked his head, embarrassed. "Thank you. Sorry about the stare. I was just surprised. No one seems to want to talk to me, so I thought there was some unwritten rule I was breaking. Wrong part of town for an Indian, or something."

Lana laughed, shaking her head no.

"No, it's just that no one's quite sure what to do with someone who's so openly gay," Lana confided quietly. "Smallville doesn't have a lot of gays."

"Yeah, I noticed," Clark said, grinning wryly at her.

So far she didn't appear to have figured out who he was, so his disguise must be working. He was relieved. Of course, after the spaceship had changed his eye color to brown, darkened his skin tone, and gave him tattoos around his neck, wrists, left bicep, and one at the small of his back, he wasn't too surprised. He really didn't look like the late Clark Kent. There was no reason for her to be comparing him with Clark.

"Lana!" Chloe called, coming into the store and joining them. "Hey, Conner! I'm surprised to see you out and about. I would have thought you'd be with Gabe. Excuse me, Mr. Brown."

"He had an anxiety attack," Clark said quite honestly, "and his meds always knock him out for hours. So I went shopping for groceries while David monitored him. I should be heading back soon, though. I don't like to leave him alone for too long. I calm him down better than anyone else."

"Why do you put up with it?" Chloe asked, huffing a little. "He's a nut!"

"I love him," Clark said calmly. It was the most liberating feeling in the world to be able to say it openly, making Clark beam at them. "I love him, and he is slowly getting better. This is the first time he's gone anywhere in almost a decade. Literally, this is the first time he's been outside of his penthouse in over two years."

"Wow," Lana said, eyes going wide. "I can't imagine living like that."

"It's hard," Clark said with a sigh, "but worth it to watch him improve."

"How did you manage to meet him if he doesn't go out?" Chloe asked, crossing her arms on her chest, and studying Clark entirely too closely.

"Oh, um, well, David introduced us. Look, I um, have to get going. It was nice meeting you," Clark spluttered.

He blushed violently, taking his basket full of stuff to the counter to buy it. He nodded to the clerk, who rang it all up as if she was afraid he'd contaminate her, and then left quickly. Clark listened to Lana and Chloe using his super hearing as he loaded his purchases into the car.

*What set that off?* Lana asked Chloe after Clark left the store.

*I have my sources,* Chloe said, sounding utterly smug, *and I believe that our young Mr. Willowbrook was briefly a member of the oldest profession.*

*Oh my god!* Lana squawked, sounding fascinated. *Conner was a prostitute?*

*Yup,* Chloe said. *Got it from his cousin Kyla. They're still trying to get him away from Mr. Brown, but they're not having much success. It seems like Mr. Brown managed to turn the prostitute into a prince, despite being a complete, and utter basket case. He also seems to stolen Conner from David Marlow, his butler.*

*Huh. Conner seems like a really nice guy,* Lana said. *Do you know if he's going to go to school? He's about our age. He can't be done with school yet.*

*Don't know,* Chloe said, voice surprised. *I'll have to find out.*

Clark drove back to the farm, cursing quietly. They hadn't thought about the school issue. He needed to talk to Bruce and Lex about this. It would put a huge crimp in their plans if he did have to go back to school. Might be really interesting though, Clark thought, remembering how everyone looked at him. He chuckled. It was truly a lot of fun not having to blend in the way he used to.

+++++

"Damn it, I didn't think of that," Bruce snarled, rubbing his forehead as a headache announced itself.

"Makes sense that you would go back to school," Lex said, lounging on the couch.

Lex had pitched a fit as Gabe four days ago, making Bruce bring in people to look for cameras, and hidden microphones. They'd found them all, disabled them, and removed them, thus letting the three of them talk freely inside of the house. Lionel had gotten a wonderful show for a week or so, watching Clark with Lex, Clark with Bruce, and Bruce jockeying with Lex over Clark. It must have been a fascinating little soap opera for Lionel, looking into the lives that he'd destroyed.

"Why?" Clark asked, sounding very stable given that he said he could still feel the insanity at the edges of his mind.

"Because I'm getting you back on the straight and narrow," Lex said with a grin, "weaning you away from your wicked lifestyle, and turning you into an honest gay-boy."

Clark laughed, joining Lex on the couch to snuggle with him. Bruce chuckled, shaking his head at the two of them.

"I can't be away from Gotham forever," Bruce said, "so this can't be a permanent identity."

"True," Clark said, "not for you, but it could for us. We could become Conner and Gabe, you know. Not that I want to stay in Smallville anymore. It feels too small, and I really miss your manor. This doesn't feel like home to me anymore."

"Well, Gabe's notorious instability would make it simple enough for us to pull up stakes, and head back once you're done," Lex said, "so I think you should go back to school while we're here."

"I'm not sure I can act that well," Clark protested weakly. "I mean, it's kind of fun being so openly outrageous, but I know the other kids are going to pick on me for being gay. Chloe's already spreading the prostitute story. There's going to be a lot of harassment. I'm doing a lot better but I'm not 100% stable yet. I don't want to break down in public, if I can help it."

"Conner is also supposed to be 18, not 17," Bruce protested, "so he would have graduated."

"Except Conner dropped out of school in his senior year," Lex corrected, "so he'd need to finish that year out to get his diploma."

"You sound like you're trying to get him back to school," Bruce snarled.

"I am," Lex said, shrugging. "I think he should go back. Bruce, he needs it. Granted, it'll be hard, and it'll take some time away from the plan, but frankly, the stuff for the plan happens at night. He needs to lay groundwork of being sneaky, and being up to stuff before things begin. School's the perfect arena for it, especially here in Smallville."

"This is going take all year!" Bruce growled, glaring at them.

"No, it won't," Lex disagreed. "You don't know Smallville. I do. Clark knows exactly where to go, and who to interact with to set up a trail of being 'up to something.' It won't take more than a week or two. Clark goes back to school for his senior year, which is going to be hard since he hasn't had his junior year yet, and plot, and scheme, and get Chloe, and Lana, and who knows who else involved in plots against Lionel. It will work."

"Maybe," Clark said, making a face. "I guess I'll be all right. As long as I have a cell phone so that I can call you guys at any time, I think I'll be all right. Just hearing your voices calms me down. And the teachers shouldn't allow any really bad teasing—they know what happened to me."

"I hate this," Bruce grumbled. "They're kids. Clark's not ready for this."

"Many of the kids have powers like Clark's," Lex said, shrugging. "Most of them loathe Lionel Luthor. Most of the kids at school have not enough to do, and too much time. It'll work."

"You better be right," Bruce said, hearing the Bat's grimness in his voice.

"I am," Lex said calmly. "Have a little faith in Clark. He's doing much better!"

+++++

Chloe sighed, typing away at an article for the Torch. This wasn't as much fun as it used to be, without Clark to bounce ideas off of. Clark and Lex had died nearly a year ago, but there wasn't a day that went by that Chloe didn't think about him. He had been such a huge part of her life that having him gone was painful.

"Wow," someone said from the door, "that's impressive."

Chloe looked up, and blinked to see Conner Willowbrook with a backpack over one shoulder, staring at the Wall of Weird. He looked impressed, curious, and just a little shaken.

"You're going to school?" Chloe said, saving her article before turning to him.

"Yeah," Conner said, shrugging his shoulders, and smiling wryly at her. "Gabe sort of insisted on it. He wants me to graduate, and go to college. I'm not so sure about it, but he was quite firm. Let me tell you though, the boy's locker room is a hostile place when you're openly gay."

Chloe burst out laughing, grinning at him as Conner came in to read the articles pinned to the wall. She wasn't sure what to make of him. Her research showed that he'd been a very quiet kid until something bad had happened, driving him away from home, and out into the streets. She'd found a couple of arrest records for prostitution, then he'd disappeared off the streets about six months ago, showing up with Gabriel Brown shortly after that. From what she'd found, she would have expected someone either a lot more damaged, or a lot cockier.

"They're not picking on you, are they?" Chloe asked, seeing that he was shaking slightly.

"A little," Conner admitted with a shrug. "The Coach had to step in, and stop them when I freaked. I had to get out of there for a bit. This seemed like a safe place. You have a lot about meteor freaks."

"Yeah," Chloe said, worrying about the bullying. Someone who had been raped, and abused the way Conner was supposed to have been shouldn't be bullied in any way. "You can call me crazy, but I believe that the meteor rock changes people, gives them powers."

"I believe you," Conner said, complete certainty in his voice.

Chloe looked at him, making him blush, and laugh uncomfortably, looking away. He turned back to her after a second, meeting her eyes relatively calmly. She could see just a hint of amusement in his eyes, but wasn't sure where it came from.

"Um, is that personal knowledge?" Chloe asked. "Not that I'm prying, of course."

"I didn't say that," Conner said, smirking at her. "Do you know what the word 'Kawatche' really means?"

"No," Chloe said, puzzled at the shift of the conversation.

"Skinwalker," Conner said, eyes intent on her. "Shape changer. It means someone who takes on the shape of an animal, normally a wolf."

"Whoa, really?" Chloe asked, surprised.

"Mmm-hmm," Conner said, nodding as he studied the wall again. "I need a ton of extra credit if I'm going to graduate on time. Can I write for the Torch?"

"Better than trying out for the football team, I guess?" Chloe said with a grin.

"Much," Conner said, rolling his eyes. "I am definitely not doing anything sports related, not after the locker room incident today. So can I?"

"If you don't mind being associated with the Wall of Weird," Chloe said, "Sure."

"Great, as long as you don't mind being associated with an open queer," Conner said, offering a hand to her along with a brilliant grin that lit up the room.

"Not a problem," Chloe said, laughing, and taking his hand. "Welcome on board. Have any ideas for articles, or should I give you something to start with?"

"Oh, I have a couple of thoughts," Conner said, eyes full of mischief. "They're probably worthy of the Torch. I can write them up for you, if you'd like."

"Do!" Chloe said, grinning. "It'll be nice to have someone else here with me. It's been lonely since Clark died."

"Clark?" Conner asked, his head cocked to the side.

"Yeah," Chloe said, going to her desk to get the picture of Clark that she'd put there after his funeral. "He was my best friend. I think he might have been gay, too. He never told me, but there were things I noticed before he died that kind of make sense when I think of him that way. He died in a car crash almost a year ago."

"You miss him," Conner said, the words nowhere near a question.

"Yeah," Chloe said, surprised to be fighting tears. She though she'd gotten over the tears months ago. "I think I always will. He was…special."

"Sorry," Conner said, jumping as his cell phone rang. "Um, I gotta go. Gabe and David are here to pick me up. I'll try to have a story for you tomorrow, or the next day, Chloe. Thanks again!"

"You're welcome, Conner," Chloe said, waving goodbye as he hurried out of the office. She sighed once he was gone, not sure where the feeling of déjà vu came from. "Weird. Almost feels like Clark was here."

She set the photo down, smiling at Clark's face. Conner wasn't Clark, but he seemed nice. Maybe he'd come up with something good to fill out the third page of the Torch. She sat back down to her article, suddenly able to write like she used to. Maybe she just needed someone else here to be able to write.

+++++

Bruce read over the latest article that Clark had written for the Torch, chuckling. Clark was a very good writer. Lex was an even better editor. Lionel was going to go ballistic when he read the article, which he was sure to do. After the last three weeks writing for the Torch, Clark had gotten a reputation beyond the school as a hard-hitting reporter who had a grudge against Lionel Luthor.

"This is going to make him go crazy," Bruce said, handing it back to Clark. "There are just enough specifics to make him twitch, but not enough to give him cause to attack. It's going to make everyone start questioning his changes to LuthorCorp, and the research in the Caves."

"That's the point," Clark said proudly. "It's actually a series of articles that Lex and I planned out. The next few are going to really get his goat."

"Just got an email that Joseph and Kyla are on their way," Lex said as he came from the bedroom. "The protest at the caves should start in about half an hour. If you guys are going to go, you better get going."

"I wish you could come too," Clark pouted, getting a laugh, a hug, and a kiss from Lex.

"And blow my cover?" Lex grinned wickedly. "Nothing doing! Get out of here, you two. I'm off to have vapors for a while. Someone needs a nap after last night."

Bruce chuckled. Last night had been a particularly energetic night. He wasn't surprised that Lex was tired after being with both of them multiple times. Clark looked mildly apologetic, but laughed when Lex groped his crotch. Lex chuckled. Normally Clark was the focus of their sexual activities. Last night had been the exception, not the rule.

"No feeling guilty," Lex purred. "I was the one egging you two on, after all. Shoo! Gabe feels the need for a nice, long nappy poo."

"You are so flaming when you're Gabe," Clark laughed, shaking his head.

"Half the fun of playing the role!"

+++++

Lionel Luthor had returned to Smallville after two months of very public protests, and very well suppressed terrorist actions against the researchers in the caves. Clark knew that Bruce and Lex didn't want Lionel there. They wanted him as far away as possible when Clark united the elements. Clark didn't. He wanted the man there. He had a plan, one that he'd formulated with the help of the spaceship, long before they came here. Bruce and Lex were going to be mad that he hadn't told them, but until this point he wasn't sure he'd be able to do it, so what was the point?

"Damn it, what do you mean you won't go in there?" Lionel was yelling at his researchers.

Clark chuckled. The latest round of super speed attacks must have finally freaked the researchers out to the point they wouldn't keep working. Between his abilities, Kyla's wolf attacks, Alicia's teleporting and Bruce's careful pyrotechnics, the caves had become a very unfriendly place for Lionel's men. It was kind of amazing how many meteor affected people had come out of the woodwork once Chloe's article on meteor mutant respect had come out. Clark was halfway expecting a protest a la Gay Pride Week sometime soon.

Kyla's tail was wagging as they hid in the bushes well away from the caves, watching the show. Alicia had a huge report for school, so she hadn't been able to join them, but that was OK. Clark was going to send Kyla away tonight anyway.

"They're too unsettled right now," Clark whispered to her, "so go ahead on home. I'm going to keep watch for a bit. Be careful, cousin."

She swiped his cheek with her tongue, making him grin. She nodded, loping off into the woods. Clark watched, and then waited for about a half an hour. Eventually Lionel's researchers drove away, leaving Lionel to wander into the caves alone. His guards stood watch outside the entrance, armed and dangerous, though not to Clark. Clark zipped in, nothing but a whoosh of air to them. Lionel was studying the central panel, looking at it like it could give him the answers to the universe.

"Your answers aren't there," Clark said, pitching his voice deeper the way that Bruce recommended.

"Who?!" Lionel whirled, glaring when he saw Clark, or actually Conner Willowbrook. "How did you get in here? Get out!"

"That isn't where your answers are," Clark repeated, walking slowly closer. "You'll never find your answers there. Tell your men to stay out, and I'll show you everything you ever wanted to know."

"You don't have the answers I—where did you get that?!" Lionel gasped, staring at the octagonal piece in Clark's hand.

"Tell your men to stay out," Clark repeated, "leave Gabe alone, and I'll give you everything you ever wanted to know. I have all the answers, Luthor. Give me what I want, and you'll get them."

Clark smiled grimly as Lionel hurried outside, doing exactly what Clark ordered. Lionel was too desperate to really think about how Clark had gotten the octagon, or what he might be getting himself into. Clark was standing by the panel that he had been looking when Lionel scurried back in.

"Tell me," Lionel said.

"You swear to leave Gabe alone?" Clark asked, making it seem like that was what he really wanted.

"I swear," Lionel said.

Even Clark could see that he was lying. It didn't really matter. This part was strictly for show, just to keep Lionel here, quiet, and cooperative. Clark didn't want Lionel's men to interfere. He didn't want them to know what was happening until it was too late.

"Good enough."

Clark put the piece into the hole, and the caves came alive. The paintings changed to glowing colored light. The rocks moved, opening a secret inner chamber. Clark took the octagon, leading Lionel back into the back room.

"This…Good god, we had no idea this place was here," Lionel breathed, staring around the room.

"Of course not," Clark said. He shrugged off the backpack, and pulled out the three elements of power. "No one was supposed to see this room. Brace yourself. This part is going to be flashy."

Clark put the three elements in their places, shielding his eyes as they merged in a brilliant flash of light, becoming a blue-white crystal that gently floated into the air. Lionel's mouth dropped open in shock. Clark reached out, grabbing Lionel's sleeve with one hand, then the crystal with the other.

"Aagh!" Lionel cried as the world twisted in a brilliant flash of light. "Where are we?"

"The arctic," Clark said calmly, letting Lionel go. "This is where it will all be revealed."

"So cold…" Lionel shuddered, huddling into himself as he tried to preserve his body heat in the biting wind, and blowing snow. "Aren't you cold?"

"Of course not," Clark said, raising an eyebrow at him. "I'm dead, so I don't feel heat or cold."

Lionel forgot to shiver for a second as he stared at Clark. Clark turned from him, and let the crystal drift up, and then out of his hand. It flew a little ways away from them, then lanced down into the snow. Where it landed, great spikes of crystal shot up, forming something alien, something Kryptonian. The Fortress of Solitude was born.

"Let's go inside," Clark said calmly. "Everything you want to know is inside."

"I hope it's warmer," Lionel muttered, trudging through the snow after Clark.

It wasn't any warmer inside, though the crystals did block the wind to a degree. Clark led Lionel into the heart of the Fortress, to the control panel that the spaceship had told him about. Clark took the floating crystal that allowed him to control it all, and firmly inserted it into the control panel.

"Welcome, Kal-El, my son," Jor-El said. "Welcome, Lionel Luthor, my son's murderer."

"Wh-what?" Lionel whispered, lips getting blue.

"You wanted answers," Clark said, smiling at Lionel as Jor-El removed his disguise, revealing his true identity. "I am Kal-El, son of Jor-El. I was born on the planet Krypton, and sent here to rule the world. But you killed me, and took the one that I wanted to have as my mate. I was given a second chance, a new name, and a new identity, all so that I could bring you to justice."

"This…this is impossible!" Lionel gasped, backing off. "Lex is alive, I know it!"

"He died," Clark said, shaking his head, and keeping his face impassive by imagining he was Bruce. "I tried to save him, but he died shortly before I died. Jor-El restored me temporarily so I could destroy you."

"No!"

Lionel tried to run, but Clark was there in front of him. He spun, then spun again, finding Clark there by super speed each time. Lionel tried to fight, but Clark just caught his fist. The kick only hurt Lionel's foot, not Clark.

"I'll give you anything you want!" Lionel begged. "I have more money, and more power than you can understand!"

"I want my life back," Clark said quietly. "I want Lex's life back."

Lionel cursed, struggling against Clark who held him easily. Clark wondered if he would feel a sense of satisfaction later. Right now, all he felt was tired, disappointed, and a little sick at what he had to do to Lionel. It would have been nice if he had a sense of satisfaction in destruction, but destroying Lionel only made him feel bad. He knew he'd feel better after they fixed the things that Lionel had destroyed. Lionel's terror did nothing to make Clark feel better.

"Jor-El," Clark said, "Open the Phantom Zone."

A swirling vortex opened with a shining rim around it. Lionel screamed, and struggled harder. Clark knew that Lionel didn't know what it was, but he knew instinctively that this wasn't something that he wanted to experience.

"Goodbye, Lionel Luthor," Clark said gently. "Today you die, just as you killed me and Lex."

"NOOOO!!!"

Lionel screamed as Clark flung him into the Phantom Zone. His body got smaller as he was swept away, until the portal closed. Then it changed to a plane of something that looked like glass with Lionel's image on it. It flipped slowly end over end, flying away into space.

"Well done, my son," Jor-El said, his voice echoing through the Fortress. "You must begin your training so that your mind may be restored, and your destiny fulfilled."

"I know," Clark said, smiling, "but there's still work to be done. I'll come here every day for training once we've switched the portal to Bruce's cave, but I will go back every night to be with Lex and Bruce. I will not abandon them to come here for months or years, Jor-El. I need them to stay sane during the training."

"I understand," Jor-El said sadly. "Your training will eventually fix the lingering instability of your mind. Let us begin work, my son."

+++++

Chloe watched the recovery efforts at the Kawatche Caves. There'd been an explosion, and the whole cave system had collapsed with Lionel Luthor inside. Speculation so far said that he'd finally found something, but when he'd poked it, it had destroyed everything. Fortunately with all the protests, and the weird events, no one else had been inside at the time.

"Chloe," Conner said, coming up behind her with Kyla and Joseph Willowbrook.

"Conner, Kyla, Joseph!" Chloe said. "How are you guys doing?"

"Fine," Conner said, shrugging one shoulder as he looked at the mess.

"It's a shame the caves are gone," Joseph said sadly, "but better they're gone than misused by that man. We're going to see if we can help with the recovery efforts. Maybe some of our people's artifacts can be rescued while they're searching for Luthor's body."

He and Kyla headed over to the people in charge of the rescue efforts.

"Do you think he's still alive in there?" Chloe asked Conner.

"I doubt it," Conner said, arms crossed on his chest. "I doubt they'll ever find a body."

Chloe looked at him, wondering at the certainty in his voice. She was sure he had powers. Kyla had admitted to being a skinwalker not too long ago. It made sense that Conner had powers too.

"Is that wishful thinking, or is it sure knowledge?" Chloe asked.

"There's several thousand tons of rock collapsed on the caves, Chloe," Conner said, avoiding the question entirely. "The whole area is unstable. I seriously doubt that they'll be able to get to the inner part of the caves without endangering people's lives."

"You're really good at avoiding a direct question," Chloe grumped.

"Ask a direct question, and I'll answer it," Conner said, grinning at her expression.

"Do you have powers?" Chloe asked, excited.

"Yes," Conner said, lips twitching.

"Are they the same as Kyla's?" Chloe asked, moving the two of them away from the others so they couldn't overhear.

"No," Conner said, chuckling she glared at him for the monosyllabic answers.

"What are they?" Chloe asked, biting her lip in hopes that he'd answer.

"First," Conner said, "I'm dead. My life ended, and I'm living a new one. I came back to do all the things that I didn't get to do the first time around."

"A-are you serious?" Chloe whispered, eyes wide.

"Quite," Conner said sadly. "I was kidnapped, raped, and tortured. They took me with my best friend, who was almost—but not quite—my lover. They did the worse to him. We escaped, but died before we could get to proper help. I was given a second chance to set things right. That's where my powers come from. I don't feel heat or cold. I'm pretty much invulnerable. I can move faster than the wind, fly, and shoot fire from my eyes. There's more, but those are the basics."

Chloe stared, awed at all that he could do.

"Were you Conner in that life?" Chloe asked, feeling her stomach flipping as things started clicking in the back of her head.

"No," Conner said, "I had a different name, and a different face. I can't go back to being that person anymore. He's dead. I'm someone else entirely."

"D-does Joseph know?" Chloe whispered. "And Kyla?"

"Mm-hmm," Conner nodded. "They agreed to help me, to let me be their relative. The Kawatche believe I'm the savior for their race, sent to help them in their time of need. I think I was given all of this so that I could save the whole world, not just them. They like that idea. So do I."

He smiled at her, and suddenly Chloe knew, she knew. She knew that smile, the look in his eyes, the way he held himself. So many little things that had been bothering her ever since she first saw Conner Willowbrook suddenly clicked into place, and she knew.

"Clark!" Chloe gasped, flinging herself into his arms, sobbing. "Oh God! Clark!"

"That's not my name anymore," Conner said gently, rubbing her back, and petting her hair. "I'm Conner now. It's who I have to stay, or I can't keep living, Chloe. I'm sorry."

"Doesn't matter," Chloe said, laughing and wiping her tears away with shaking fingers. "I know, and that's what matters to me. I'll never tell anyone, Conner. I swear, I'll always keep your secret."

"I know," Conner said, hugging her again. "I trust you, Chloe. I've always trusted you. I was just too afraid to tell you before. Dying does help you deal with the fear."

Conner held Chloe until the tears stopped, then stayed by her side until David came to pick him up in their limo. Chloe blinked when she caught a glimpse of Gabe in the back of the limo. She would swear that it was Lex with hair in the back of the limo, Lex with short sandy blond hair that spiked a bit on top. Gabe / Lex beamed at Conner / Clark, holding out a hand to his lover. David looked at Chloe as he shut the door of the limo, and suddenly Chloe could see Bruce Wayne's picture in the Torch's editorial page, where he'd written a letter to the Editor stating that the Kawatche Caves should be taken away from LuthorCorp. David / Bruce distinctly winked at her before driving away.

"You're looking a little freaked," Kyla commented from behind Chloe, making her jump about a mile in the air.

"Sorry," Chloe said around a smile, pressing trembling fingers to her lips. "Visitations from the dead kind of freak me out."

Kyla laughed, watching the limo drive away with a totally content expression.

"I don't know," Kyla said, "I find them comforting, personally. The dead don't have the same worries as the living, you know. They've found their place, their reason for existing. They don't have to worry about the same things that the living do. It's kind of nice."

Chloe laughed, shaking her head to try to clear the amazement from it. No matter what else had happened, she did have a job to do today. There had been a disaster, a billionaire had been lost, and Chloe had an article to write about it all, even if she'd rather sit down with Conner, Gabe and David to find out what exactly had happened to Clark and Lex. She didn't buy the 'death' thing for a minute, not after that wink!

"Well, the interviews for the Torch aren't going to do themselves," Chloe said to Kyla. "I better get to work."

"Good luck!" Kyla said, smiling. "Have fun!"

+++++

Clark was sad to leave Smallville a few weeks later, but not very sad. He missed the manor. He missed the gardens there. He missed his parents, Alfred, the Batcave with the bats. Smallville was wonderful, but it was too small for him now. There was a great big world out there that needed him, and Bruce, and Lex. There was still Morgan Edge to be dealt with, his training to complete, and a world that desperately needed a savior.

Gabe Brown and Bruce Wayne had bought out LuthorCorp, renaming it LexCorp in honor of their 'old friend' Lex Luthor. Lionel's military projects were being shut down, though it would take a long time to make sure it was all over. They kept finding new things that Lionel had hidden from his stockholders, and the public.

"I'll miss Smallville," Lex said with a sigh as they drove out of town.

"You'll be back," Bruce said, driving them home at a calm, sedate speed that Clark knew drove Lex nuts. He was pretty sure Bruce drove that speed specifically because it drove Lex nuts.

"True," Lex sighed, "but I'll still miss the town. It's so messed up from what Dad did."

"We can fix what Lionel did," Clark said, hugging Lex. "We're already halfway there."

Bruce and Lex both gave him a look. Clark grinned, sticking his tongue out at them. They had really yelled at him when he told them what he'd done. They'd been terrified that he'd been in the cave-in. Bruce had had to physically restrain Lex from joining the search efforts. Both of them had cried when Clark had zipped back into the house, two hours later.

"It worked," Clark said for the millionth time. "Jor-El promised that it would work. Lionel is trapped forever, and we're free. No one will ever suspect that he's alive, and suffering instead of dead."

"I can't believe you did that," Lex grumbled yet again. "You lied to us!"

"Nope," Clark laughed, kissing his neck. "I just didn't volunteer. You two didn't ask what my plan was."

Lionel's 'death' had done wonders for Gabriel Brown, letting him step outside in the sun for the first time since high school. Lex was taking his time about having Gabe come back to normalcy, enjoying getting to be an eccentric kook too much to let it go easily. Just as with Clark's altered appearance, no one seemed to see Lex standing there in from of them, even though his disguise was just a wig, some contacts, and a flamboyant wardrobe.

They were finally free. They may not have gotten their old lives back, but Clark and Lex were free. Free to live, free to love, free to go on, and to make the world a better place. There was nowhere to go from here, but up, all three of them, together.

+++++

Batman smirked, watching Morgan Edge's men scramble. It had taken nearly a year to run the man to ground, but they had finally done it. It had taken a year of constant hunting, constant attacks, constant articles, and tip-offs to the police, but Morgan Edge was finally going down. His last hideout was destroyed, and Morgan Edge had nowhere left to run.

"He's heading for the limo now," Lex said through their secure frequencies. "You two should be able to capture him pretty easily."

"Perfect," Batman said, smiling at Clark in his new red and blue suit with a long cape and gold helmet. "You ready?"

"Never been readier," Clark, or Kal-El, replied. "I've been waiting for this for years!"

Morgan Edge ran out of his hideout, looking utterly terrified. It was quite the contrast, Bruce thought as he swung down, followed by Kal-El. When this had all started, it had been Clark and Lex who were terrified, and on the run. Morgan Edge had been calm, in control, tormenting them. The roles were reversed; now it was Morgan who was terrified, and having his life destroyed.

"No!" Morgan shouted, firing wildly at them as his men ran away. "Stay away from me!"

"It's good to see you again, Morgan," Kal-El said, his voice deep, and utterly calm. "It's been such a long time."

"Kal?!" Morgan gasped, eyes going wide. He pulled his Kryptonite worry beads out of his pocket, clutching them desperately.

"That doesn't work anymore since you killed me, Morgan," Kal said, keeping with the 'died' story. In reality it was his suit and helmet that protected him from the radiation, but Morgan didn't need to know that.

Bruce focused on dealing with Morgan's men, leaving Morgan to Clark and Lex. While Lex might stray into murderous territory from time to time, Clark never would. He'd gotten strong enough over the last year's training that he'd never go there. Morgan's scream of terror as Kal-El carried him away made the Batman chuckle, and his men cower.

"It's over," Bruce said. Morgan's men assumed he was talking to them, but Bruce wasn't.

"Finally," Lex sighed. "Thank goodness that's all over at last!"

+++++

Chloe sighed as she listened to Lois ribbing Jimmy about being trapped in the records room for the rest of eternity after his latest misadventure. There was a sort of rightness to her being here at the Daily Planet, for all that Lois had come kicking and screaming into Journalism. Lois might not have been a natural for reporting with her atrocious spelling and grammar, but she had the tenacity, and the innate curiosity to be one of the best.

"Look!" Lois cried, running to the window. "There he went!"

"Who?" Chloe asked, joining her at the window. There was no one there, of course.

"Superman!" Lois said, snorting. "Really Chloe, you have to be quick on your feet to catch a glimpse of him."

"Missed my chance, I guess," Chloe replied, looking out over the city.

"I'm not going to miss my chance," Lois said, eyes sparkling as she came up with yet another hair-brained plot. "I'm going to be the first person to get an interview with Superman, just you wait! I'm going to find out everything there is to know about him!"

Chloe laughed, thinking of Conner, Gabe, and Bruce, curled up together on Bruce's couch, while she talked to the Kents last week. She was still finding things out about the three of them, years after Clark returned from the dead as Conner Willowbrook. There was so much depth to the three of them, and their complicated relationship. If only Lois knew...


End file.
